Preparation of porous ZrO2 solid superacid shell/void/TiO2 core particles and effect of doping them on PVDF membranes properties

Abstract

To further enhance hydrophilic and anti-fouling properties of PVDF membrane, porous ZrO2 solid superacid shell/void/TiO2 core particles (ZVT) forming micro reaction locations (MRLs) inside channels and surface of membranes were firstly prepared and then doped to PVDF to form ZVT/PVDF composite membrane. The optimum synthesis conditions of ZVT were studied and determined; the ZVT and ZVT/PVDF composite membranes were characterized by the scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and contact angle of water, respectively. Results show that the diameter of ZVT prepared under the optimum synthesis conditions is 500nm, the thickness of ZrO2 shell is 50nm, a solid superacid ZrO2 shell on the TiO2 core is formed due to a stretching vibration peak of SO double bond at 1460cm−1 in FT-IR spectra. The contact angle is declined from 67.4° to 33.9° and oil retention ratio reaches 93.82% of ZVT/PVDF composite membranes, which perform the attractive hydrophilic and anti-fouling properties of ZVT/PVDF composite membranes. Therefore, ZVT are desirable as suitable fillers of polymer membranes.