Enhanced performance of celluloce acetate/polyethylene glycol (CA/PEG) with the addition of functionalized carbon nanotube (CNT) prepared by wet-dry method

Abstract

The addition of carbon nanotube (CNT) on cellulose acetate/polyethylene glycol (CA/PEG) membranes is observed to show the effect of CNT to the performance of CA/PEG membranes. Before added into CA/PEG membrane, CNT has been functionalized first by using wet-dry method. Membranes are characterized for their hydrophilicity, surface and fractured morphology, and their performance for desalination process. The performance of membranes shows by their flux permeates, permeability and salt rejection. The hydrophilicity is determined by Fourier-Transformed Infra-Red (FTIR) spectra. Surface and fractured morphology are identified by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The experiment results show that hydrophilicity of CA/PEG membrane increases with the addition and the increasing of CNT contents. Flux permeates and permeability of membrane increases with the increasing of CNT content. Salt rejection of membrane also increases with the increasing of CNT content; however, it decreases with further increasing of CNT content. The highest value of permeate flux, salt rejection, and permability of CA/PEG/CNT membrane is 1233.333 L/m2.h, 49.303%, and 10.802 L/m2.h.kPa, respectively.