Advanced photocatalytic membrane GO-NiFe@SiO2/PVDF for efficient decontamination of synthetic dyes in batik wastewater with superior antifouling features

Abstract

A novel composite membrane, GO-NiFe@SiO2/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), was prepared via the sol-gel method for nanocomposite synthesis and phase inversion method for membrane fabrication. The investigation encompassed the structural features and properties of the nanocomposite membranes, including photocatalytic activity under UV type C, antifouling capability, and self-cleaning behavior. The degradation of dyes in real Batik wastewater followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with the GO-NiFe@SiO2/PVDF 1 wt% nanocomposite membranes exhibiting a highest dyes removal efficiency up to 90.50 % within 8 h, compared to the pristine PVDF membrane (60.95 %). The XRD pattern analysis indicates that the incorporation of GO-NiFe@SiO2 into the PVDF membrane induced a transformation in the semi-crystalline phase of PVDF, shifting from the alpha-phase to the beta-phase, consequently facilitating the development of electrostatic charge on the membrane surface. The pore-size distribution analysis revealed that all prepared membranes fall within the range of nanofiltration and tight ultrafiltration (NF-TUF). Additionally, the photocatalytic membrane demonstrated enhanced permeation flux of 30.46 L.m−2.h−1 and flux recovery rate up to 92.57 % under simulated UV light irradiation, showcasing improved antifouling capability. Moreover, the membrane exhibited outstanding cycle test with 6 consecutive cleaning every 3 h, self-cleaning efficiency, with 61.32 % cleaning efficiency under UV irradiation. The incorporation of GO-NiFe@SiO2 enhanced the physicochemical properties of the photocatalytic membrane, including hydrophilicity, surface topologies, and mechanical strength, thereby improving photocatalytic anti-fouling performance and expanding the potential applications of membrane filtration technology.