Abstract
In this study, cellulose acetate (CA) was blended with sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) nanomaterials to endow a nanocomposite membrane for wastewater treatment with improved hydrophilicity and anti-biofouling behavior. The phase inversion method was employed for membrane fabrication using tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the solvent. The characteristics of CA-SGO-doped membranes were investigated through thermal analysis, contact angle, SEM, FTIR, and anti-biofouling property. Results indicated that anti-biofouling property and hydrophilicity of CA-SGO nanocomposite membranes were enhanced with addition of hydrophilic SGO nanomaterials in comparison to pristine CA membrane. FTIR analysis confirmed the successful decoration of SGO groups on CA membrane surface while revealing its morphological properties through SEM analysis. Thermal analysis performed using DSC confirmed the increase in thermal stability of CA-SGO membranes with addition of SGO content than pure CA membrane.
Highlights
Membrane technology has undergone advances in various fields of application like wastewater treatment, water purification, food, seawater desalination, and medicine, which is attributed to its advantageous features like simplicity, high efficacy, eco-friendly nature, insignificant chemical utilization, and cost effectiveness [1]
graphene oxide (GO) shows its characteristic peaks at 3000–3389 cm−1 corresponding to hydroxyl (–OH) group and peak at 1731 cm−1 to carbonyl (C=O) groups, whereas at 1210, cm−1, 1361 cm−1 is related to stretching vibrations of epoxy (C–O), alkoxy (C–O)
Cellulose acetate (CA) membranes doped with sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) additives were fabricated through phase inversion method
Summary
Membrane technology has undergone advances in various fields of application like wastewater treatment, water purification, food, seawater desalination, and medicine, which is attributed to its advantageous features like simplicity, high efficacy, eco-friendly nature, insignificant chemical utilization, and cost effectiveness [1]. A great focus has been on the development of polymeric materials with high performance which must possess good hydrophilicity, high permeability, and excellent separation [2]. Biofouling is caused by the deposition, attachment, and proliferation of biological foulants (e.g., proteins and bacterial cells) present in feed water on the surface of a membrane, resulting in biofilm formation. Biofouling assists in the concentration polarization (i.e., the ratio among solute concentration on the surface of membranes and inside bulk solution) of nutrients on the membrane surface [3], which blocks the membrane pores, causes tremendous reduction in salt rejection, permeates flux, and increases transmembrane pressure, requiring further energy for filtration [4,5]. The key focus in context of membrane modification is fabrication of anti-biofouling membranes [6]
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