Ultrahigh separation property of GO membrane for dissolved organic compound in high-salt brine

Abstract

The membrane separation technology for the removal of dissolved organic compounds still faces numerous challenges in concentrated salt solution. In this work, the GO/PES membrane was successfully fabricated only adjusting the pH value without any cross-linking agent. The morphology, surface charge distribution, and separation performances were characterized in detail. Results demonstrated the GO/PES membrane exhibited excellent separation performances for tributyl phosphate, sulfonated kerosene and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate with the corresponding flux of 630, 560 and 600 L‧m−2‧h−1, and separation efficiency of 93.1 %, 95.6 % and 96.5 %, respectively, exhibiting both high selectivity and permeability. Meanwhile, the GO/PES membrane exhibited almost 100 % separation efficiency with flux of 1430 L‧m−2‧h−1 for methylene blue solution. Impressively, the GO/PES membrane showed ultrahigh separation efficiency for 200 Da without influences on ions when the salt content was 327 g‧L−1. Furthermore, the GO/PES membrane exhibited robust structural stability and excellent separation performances, which can endure 2000 times folds and corrosion in HCl, NaOH and NaCl for two weeks without separation performances decline. This study highlighted the broad application prospects in the treatment fields of high-salt solution.