Abstract
Waste plastic that has generally been considered as a nuisance in the environment is now being converted into a useful product. This work shows the feasibility of the utilization of waste polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as a membrane precursor. Waste derived PVC was blended with cellulose acetate to overcome the hydrophobic nature of PVC in membrane fabrication. The membranes were prepared via phase inversion using N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) induced by non-solvent. The characterization of the membranes was done using various techniques including field emission scanning electron microscopy, ImageJ software, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode, thermo-gravimetric analysis, and measurement of water contact angle. The membrane properties were assessed by pure water flux (PWF) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection, respectively. The outcome showed that the membrane had a PWF of 85 L/m2 h, BSA rejection of more than 90 % for the neat PVC membrane was recorded. The equilibrium water content was improved by ∼19 %, contact angle decreased by ∼25 % and hydrophilicity enhanced. Thus, this study gives insights that waste PVC can be utilized to fabricate an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
