Abstract
Graphene is a single atomic plane of graphite, and it exhibits unique electronic, thermal, and mechanical properties. Exfoliated graphene oxide (GO) contains various hydrophilic functional groups, such as hydroxyl, epoxide, and carboxyl groups, that can modify the hydrophobic characteristics of a membrane surface. Though reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has fewer functional groups than GO, its associated sp2 structures and physical properties can be recovered. A considerable amount of research has focused on the use of GO to obtain a pristine graphene material via reduction processes. In this study, polysulfone (PSf) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes that were blended with GO and rGO, respectively, were fabricated by using the immersion phase inversion method and an n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) solvent. Results showed that the graphene nanomaterials, GO and rGO, can change the pore morphology (size and structure) of both PSf and PVDF membranes. The optimum content of both was then investigated, and the highest flux enhancement was observed with the 0.10 wt% GO-blended PSf membrane. The presence of functional groups in GO within prepared PSf and PVDF membranes alters the membrane characteristics to hydrophilic. An antifouling test and rejection efficiency evaluation also showed that the 0.10 wt% membrane provided the best performance.
Highlights
Membrane filtration processes are used extensively in water treatment and in food processing and pharmaceutical industries because they provide advantages such as being energy efficient and easy to operate at room temperature [1]
Membrane properties play an important role in the filtration process, and problems such as membrane fouling and low water flux have limited the application of this technology [2]
Graphene-based flake nanomaterials, graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), were applied to fabricate an enhanced water treatment membrane, and the GO- and rGO-blended membranes were comparatively evaluated to identify which type of membrane maintained its rejection rate while increasing flux efficiency and exhibiting an antifouling effect
Summary
Membrane filtration processes are used extensively in water treatment and in food processing and pharmaceutical industries because they provide advantages such as being energy efficient and easy to operate at room temperature [1]. Its ability to enhance the mechanical strength of water treatment membranes requires investigation, even though it may be difficult to expect the hydrophilic effects of rGO. Polysulfone (PSf) based membranes are predominantly used in membrane filtration processes because they provide excellent heat resistance, chemical compatibility, and mechanical resistance over a wide pH range [9,17]. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has received tremendous attention with respect to its industrial application and, for its use in wastewater treatment, as it has a high mechanical strength, is thermally stable, is chemically resistant, and is of high purity [4]. The inherent hydrophobic characteristic of polymers (such as PSf and PVDF) often result in severe membrane fouling and a decline in permeability, and this has been a barrier for their further development and application in treating water. GO and rGO were fabricated to comparatively investigate any increases in surface hydrophilicity and antifouling properties
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