Blend Ultrafiltration Membranes Research Articles

Enhanced permeability and antifouling properties of carboxylated polysulfone/quaternized polyimide blend ultrafiltration membrane

AbstractThe intricate interplay between chemical composition and the incorporation of functional fillers plays a pivotal role in shaping the structural attributes and separation efficacy of mixed matrix ultrafiltration membranes. In this work, we report the utilization of a novel organic filler of hydrophilic modified polyimide particles (PI‐SO3) for the first time in the preparation of mixed matrix ultrafiltration membranes. A series of ultrafiltration membranes were fabricated using polysulfone as the matrix material and PI‐SO3 as the additive. The addition of PI‐SO3 to the mixed matrix membrane effectively enhanced both water flux and antifouling ability. The ultrafiltration membrane with 0.2% particle content exhibited the highest pure water flux at 535.5 L h−1 m−2, owing to the synergistic regulation of pore structures and surface hydrophilicity. The ultrafiltration membrane with 0.5% PI‐SO3 particles demonstrated the highest flux recovery rate at 76.8%, attributed to the superior hydrophilicity displayed by the added particles within the ultrafiltration membrane. The increased particles content correlated with improved hydrophilicity on the membrane surface, resulting in enhanced antifouling performance. The hydrophilic modified particles effectively regulated pore structures, surface hydrophilicity, and surface charge, ultimately enhancing the performance of mixed matrix ultrafiltration membranes for wastewater purification. Therefore, the use of modified polyimide particles as fillers introduces an innovative method to economically enhance ultrafiltration membranes, providing a potential solution to mitigate the economic costs associated with trade‐off effects during the modification process.

Preparation and performance study of waste plastic blended ultrafiltration membrane

Waste plastic packaging bags (rPVC) and waste milk tea straws (rPLA) were used as membrane materials to prepare ultrafiltration (UF) membranes by the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method. The study aimed to investigate the influence of various factors, including different rPVC contents (10 wt%-20 wt%), membrane fractions (rPVC/rPLA), additive fractions (Pluronic F-127/PVP-K30), and different additive contents (0.5 wt%-3.0 wt%), on the performance of the membranes. The permeability, morphology, hydrophilicity, chemical composition, thermal stability, and antifouling properties of the blended UF membranes were thoroughly investigated. The experimental results revealed that the presence of rPLA and Pluronic F-127 increased the porosity, water absorption, pore size, and hydrophilicity of the blended UF membranes. Furthermore, the introduction of rPLA enhanced the thermal stability of the blended UF membranes. Additionally, the incorporation of Pluronic F-127 further improved the overall performance of the blended UF membranes. Specifically, it was found that the blended UF membranes achieved a pure water flux (PWF) of 192.50 L·m−2·h−1, while maintaining a bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection rate of 95.20%. These results were obtained using a content ratio of rPVC/rPLA (90/10) at 14 wt% and an additive content of Pluronic F-127 at 2.5 wt%. By comparing with the blended UF membranes without introducing additives into the casting solution, the roughness (Ra) was reduced by 40.3%, the water contact angle (WCA) was reduced by 7.5%, the flux recovery rate (FRR) was increased by 80.5%, and the fouling resistance was enhanced.

Preparation and characterization of PSF/SPSF blended ultrafiltration membranes

Purpose This paper aims to improve the permeability and antifouling of polysulfone (PSF) ultrafiltration membranes, the PSF matrix was modified by incorporating sulfonated polysulfone (SPSF). Design/methodology/approach Systematic investigations were conducted on the synergistic effects of a pore-forming agent, coagulation bath temperature and SPSF doping in the casting solution on blended ultrafiltration membranes. The chemical composition of the membranes was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The morphology and surface roughness of the membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The hydrophilicity of the membrane surface was analyzed using a contact angle meter. The permeability and antifouling properties of the blended membranes were also investigated through filtration experiments. Findings The results indicated that the blended ultrafiltration membranes demonstrated an optimal overall performance when PVP-K30 content was 5.0 Wt.%, coagulation bath temperature was 30°C and SPSF content was 2.4 Wt.%. In comparison to a pure PSF ultrafiltration membrane, there was a significant increase in pure water flux (390.7 L·m−2·h−1) by 2.2 times, while bovine serum albumin retention slightly decreased to 93.8%. In addition, the flux recovery rate improved by 2.1 times (71.4%) compared to that of the original PSF ultrafiltration membrane. Practical implications The method provided a simple and practical solution for improving the antifouling and permeability of PSF ultrafiltration membranes. Originality/value SPSF was anticipated to serve as an excellent modification additive for the preparation of ultrafiltration membranes with superior properties.

Preparation and Performance of PU/Cpsf Blend Ultrafiltration Membranes for Removal of Heavy Metal Ion Rejection Studies

The performance of membranes for a specific application can be determined with the help of structural properties such as molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), morphology, and pore statistics. Heavy metal ions from aqueous streams can be separated with the help of ultrafiltration membranes. In the presence and absence of the various components of the additive poly (ethylene glycol) 600, MWCOs and pore statistics of polyurethane (PU) and carboxylated polysulfone (CPSf) blend ultrafiltration (Total Polymer Concentration = 17.5 wt %) were studied with the help of dextran of different molecular weights ranging from 19 kDa to 150 kDa. The derived pore size, porosity, and the number of pores have a remarkable relationship with the MWCO, morphology, and the flux performance of the membranes. The blend membranes rejected certain toxic divalent heavy metal ions such as copper, cadmium, nickel, and zinc by complexing them into a polymeric ligand, poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI). The effect of polymer blend compositions and additive concentrations on metal ions' rejection and permeate flux are discussed

Tailoring the micro-structure of PVC/SMA-g-PEG blend ultrafiltration membrane with simultaneously enhanced hydrophilicity and toughness by in situ reaction-controlled phase inversion

An in-situ reaction controlled non-solvent induced phase separation (RC-NIPS) method was developed to tailor the morphology of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) grafting polyethylene glycol (PEG) (SMA-g-PEG) blend ultrafiltration (UF) membrane. Herein, PVC and SMA was dissolved in dimethylacetamide (DMAc) solvent to prepare a casting solution (16 wt% polymer concentration) at 50 °C. Subsequently, PEG (20 kDa) as an additive and reactant was added to the casting solution at a mass ratio of PEG to the polymer 1/1 wt/wt. to enhance the hydrophilicity and mechanical elongation of the membrane. Results demonstrated that the casting solution with PVC/SMA = 3/1 wt/wt. was an entirely compatible system. The viscosity of the casting solution with adding PEG gradually increased from 692 mPa s to 1880 mPa s at the initial stage and 4780 mPa s at 42 h, then rose sharply to 27,320 mPa s at 84 h. This behavior was ascribed to the esterification reaction between PEG and SMA, leading to pre-gelation and gelation of the system. Whereafter, SMA-g-PEG graft polymers were obtained. Meanwhile, the degree of grafting (DG) increased from 0.40% at 12 h of the reaction to 2.61% at 42 h. Afterwards, a phase inversion using water as coagulation was used to prepare PVC/SMA-g-PEG blend membrane after a certain time of the esterification reaction. It was found that the morphology of resultant membranes systematically changed from asymmetric structure with a dense top layer and finger-like sublayer at the initial stage to a dense layer with a fully sponge-like structure after 18–42 h reaction. The PVC/SMA-g-PEG membrane obtained after the reaction of 42 h demonstrated better hydrophilicity, high pure water permeance and excellent toughness due to the internal plasticization of water molecules. The membrane also exhibited a high BSA rejection (>95%) and fouling recovery rate (FRR) (85.9%). Our work provides some insights on tailoring the UF membrane structure and simultaneously enhancing permeability, antifouling performance and toughness.

Enhancing compatibility and hydrophilicity of polysulfone/poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) copolymer blend ultrafiltration membranes using polyethylene glycol as hydrophilic additive and compatibilizer

Hydrophilic poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) was blended with hydrophobic polysulfone (PSF) in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) (20 kDa), which acted as a hydrophilic additive and compatibilizer, to fabricate ultrafiltration (UF) membranes with high porosity and antifouling properties. The polymer blend containing 10 wt% EVOH was selected for optimization using PEG (0 to 24 wt%). After a detailed study, it was concluded that 20 wt% of PEG content was optimal for mixing with PSF/EVOH to increase miscibility. The membranes were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, contact angle, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effectiveness of PEG as a compatibilizer was observed via no phase separation occurred when the solution was allowed to stand at room temperature for four weeks. It was further confirmed by the appearance of a single Tm peak in DSC. In addition, molecular dynamic simulations illustrated that the PSF/EVOH 90/10 wt% blend had a radial distribution of g(r) = 3.29 Å, and g(r) = 2.69 Å in the presence of PEG, indicating better miscibility in the presence of PEG. Pure water permeance of blend membrane (85/15 wt%) reached 316 L.m-2h−1 bar−1, 54% greater than the pristine membrane. Simultaneously, bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection of up to 97% and permeance recovery ratio of 87% were observed for the PSF/EVOH 90/10 wt% blend membrane, showing improved hydrophilicity and antifouling properties. These findings identify a potential modifier for fabricating low fouling UF membranes for wastewater treatment by blending with EVOH and PEG.

Tailoring the Micro-Structure of Pvc/Sma-G-Peg Blend Ultrafiltration Membrane with Simultaneously Enhanced Hydrophilicity and Toughness by in Situ Reaction-Controlled Phase Inversion

Tailoring the Micro-Structure of Pvc/Sma-G-Peg Blend Ultrafiltration Membrane with Simultaneously Enhanced Hydrophilicity and Toughness by in Situ Reaction-Controlled Phase Inversion

Fabrication of cellulose acetate membrane with advanced ultrafiltration performances and antibacterial properties by blending with HKUST-1@LCNFs

• HKUST-1@ LCNFs was fabricated through green and in-situ strategy successfully. • CA composite membranes were prepared with blending of HKUST-1@ LCNFs successfully. • CA composite membranes blended with HKUST-1@ LCNFs exhibit excellent ultrafiltration performances. • M7 has high antibacterial properties attributed to the synergistic effect of the LCNFs and HKUST-1. To expand the application of cellulose acetate (CA) membranes in wastewater treatment, the excellent ultrafiltration performance and anti-fouling properties should be achieved. Firstly, HKUST-1@ lignocellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) was fabricated through green and in-situ strategy successfully, which combine the characteristics of the HKUST-1 and LCNFs. Then, the blended ultrafiltration membranes with different loading of HKUST-1@LCNFs (or HKUST-1, LCNFs) were prepared by the process of phase separation, which exhibit improved pore structure, hydrophilicity, and rejection rate. Excitedly, the highest pure water permeability of 207.32 L·m −2 ·h −1 and the flux recovery ratio (FRR) of 90.56% were obtained with M6 membrane (0.55 wt% HKUST-1@LCNFs), which was better than that of M2 (HKUST-1) and M3 (LCNFs). It is confirmed that HKUST-1 could inhibit the accumulation of LCNFs, making it taking advantages of its hydrophilic groups. Moreover, composite membranes have attractive antibacterial properties, and >90% of E. coli were killed by M7. This work demonstrated that CA membranes blended with HKUST-1@LCNFs possesses great potential in the wastewater treatment process.

Zwitterionic Polysulfone Copolymer/Polysulfone Blended Ultrafiltration Membranes with Excellent Thermostability and Antifouling Properties.

Membrane fouling has been one of the most important challenges in membrane separation operations. In this study, we report a facile strategy to prepare antifouling polysulfone (PSf) UF membranes by blending amphiphilic zwitterion polysulfone-co-sulfobetaine polysulfone (PSf-co-SBPSf) copolymer. The copolymer chemical structure was characterized by 1HNMR spectroscopy. The PSf/PSf-co-SBPSf blend membranes with various zwitterionic SBPSf segment contents exhibited better surface hydrophilicity and excellent antifouling ability compared to PSf and PSf/PEG membranes. The significant increase of both porosity and water permeance indicates that the PSf-co-SBPSf has a pore-forming effect. The pure water flux and flux recovery ratio of the PSf/PSf-co-SBPSf blend membranes were both remarked to improve 286.43 L/m2h and 92.26%, while bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection remained at a high level (97.66%). More importantly, the water flux and BSA rejection see minimal variance after heat treatment, indicating excellent thermostability. Overall, the PSf/PSf-co-SBPSf blend membranes achieved a comprehensive performance of sustainable hydrophilic, high permeation flux, and remarkable antifouling ability, thus becoming a promising candidate in high-temperature separation application.

Fabrication of an antifoulingGO‐TiO2/PESultrafiltration membrane

AbstractPES ultrafiltration membrane is widely used in various fields due to its high‐filtration efficiency. However, due to its hydrophobicity, PES ultrafiltration membrane has poor antifouling performance, this reduced service life and increased industrial cost. Blending is a common method in ultrafiltration membrane hydrophilic modification. Adding a small amount of inorganic nanoparticles into the polymer membrane can improve the properties of the polymer membrane. However, nanoparticles are not uniformly dispersed in polymer membrane, which hindering the modification ability of nanoparticles to ultrafiltration membrane. In this paper, GO‐TiO2materials were prepared by hydrothermal method, and GO‐TiO2/PES blended ultrafiltration membranes were fabricated by nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPs). The experimental results show that GO‐TiO2disperse uniformly in GO‐TiO2/PES ultrafiltration membrane, which greatly improved the antifouling performance of the membrane. When the addition amount of GO‐TiO2is 0.6%, the water flux of membrane reaches 194.5 (L m−2 h−1), and the rejection rate of BSA reaches 89.4%. After three pollutions‐cycles, the flux recovery rate of the membrane is 90.2%.

Effect of chitosan on membrane formation and processability of bamboo dissolving pulp based ultrafiltration membrane

Bamboo dissolving pulp (BP)/chitosan (CS) blend solutions were obtained by adding different weight ratios of BP and CS particles to N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) solvent. The processing and membrane-forming performances of the blend solutions were studied using a rotating rheometer. The BP/CS blend solutions’ optimal processing temperature was 50 to 70 °C. When the CS weight ratio was 9.09 wt%, the viscosity of the solution decreased, which was conducive to the processing of the membrane. The BP/CS blend ultrafiltration membranes were prepared by phase transformation of the blend solutions. The results showed that the rejection rate of the BP/CS blend ultrafiltration membrane with physically added CS particles was greatly improved compared with that of the regenerated BP ultrafiltration membrane.

Enhanced mechanical strength and performance of sulfonated polysulfone/Tröger's base polymer blend ultrafiltration membrane

To improve the mechanical strength and separation performance of sulfonated polysulfone (SPSf) ultrafiltration membranes, Tröger's base (TB) polymer was blended into the casting solution. An acid-base crosslinking structure between the sulfonic acid groups of SPSf and tertiary amine groups in TB would contribute to their good compatibility and influence the membrane formation process, morphology and properties. The formation of acid-base pairs was confirmed by the existence of quaternary amine groups in the X-ray photoelectron spectra of SPSf/TB blend membranes. According to the pore structure analysis of ultrafiltration membranes, the blending of TB polymer into SPSf enhanced the surface and total porosities, and reduced the top layer thickness. In addition, the finger-like pores became more regular and vertically interconnected. The SPSf/TB blend membrane showed a higher water contact angle than SPSf membrane due to the addition of hydrophobic TB polymer and formation of acid-base crosslinking structure. The SPSf/TB blend membranes showed higher pure water fluxes (127.4–342.7 L m−2 h−1) than the SPSf membrane (51.6 L m−2 h−1). All membranes showed similar retention factor for bovine serum albumin (BSA), a model protein foulant. In static experiments, the amount of BSA adsorbed by the SPSf/TB blend membranes was much lower than that of the pristine SPSf membrane because the enhanced charge of the blend membranes (ζ = −72.46 ~ −79.17 mV) strengthened the electrostatic repulsion between membrane surface and BSA. The flux recovery ratio after three ultrafiltration cycles using SPSf/TB blend membranes was lower than that of SPSf membrane because pore blockage and irreversible pollution occurred more easily under a high flux, larger average pore size, and lower hydrophilicity. The introduction of TB polymer enhanced the mechanical strength of the ultrafiltration membrane due to the formation of acid-base crosslinking structure between TB polymer and SPSf.

Enhancing Compatibility and Hydrophilicity of P Olysulfone / Poly (Ethylene-Co-Vinyl Alcohol) Copolymer Blend Ultrafiltration Membranes Using Polyethylene Glycol as Hydrophilic Additive and Compatibilizer

Enhancing Compatibility and Hydrophilicity of P Olysulfone / Poly (Ethylene-Co-Vinyl Alcohol) Copolymer Blend Ultrafiltration Membranes Using Polyethylene Glycol as Hydrophilic Additive and Compatibilizer

Polyethersulfone-co-polyesters blend ultrafiltration membranes for biomedical and biotechnological applications. Preliminary study

Polyethersulfone-co-polyesters blend ultrafiltration membranes for biomedical and biotechnological applications. Preliminary study

Influence of casting solution formula on the performance of novel polyacrylonitrile/polysulfone blend ultrafiltration membrane

A novel blend flat-sheet ultrafiltration (UF) membrane was prepared by immersion precipitation phase inversion using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polysulfone (PSF) as membrane materials. The relationship between casting solution formula and separation performance of blend UF membranes was analyzed. Experimental results show that the different casting solution formula such as polymer concentration, blending ratio, organic additives and inorganic nanometer had a significant effect on the performance of blend UF membranes. With the increase of polymer concentration, the water flux and porosity of blend UF membrane decreased obviously while the rejection rate showed an upward trend. The separation performance of blend UF membrane exhibited the opposite trend when the proportion of PAN and PSF increased. The water flux of blend UF membrane prepared with 0.04% NaA zeolite was 176.9 L/m2h, which was nearly three times higher than that of the original membrane. The optimum formulation of blend UF membrane is as follows: polymer concentration of 20%, PAN to PSF mass ratio of 8:2, PEG additive content of 0.5%, NaA zeolite content of 0.04%. The novel blend UF membrane exhibits good pressure stability and pollution resistance performance.

Preparation of an Ultrafiltration (UF) Membrane with Narrow and Uniform Pore Size Distribution via Etching of SiO2 Nano-Particles in a Membrane Matrix.

The UF membrane with a narrow and uniform pore size distribution and a low tendency to foul has significant applications in wastewater treatment. A major hindrance in the preparation of the UF membrane with these features is the lack of a scalable and economical membrane fabrication method. Herein, we devise a new strategy to prepare a high-quality polyvinylidene fluoride/polymethyl acrylate/cellulose acetate (PVDF/PMMA/CA) blend UF membrane via a combination of the etching mechanism with the traditional Loeb–Sourirajan (L-S) phase inversion method. Different concentrations of silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles (NP) in the membrane matrix were etched by using a 0.2 M hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution in a coagulation bath. This strategy provided the membrane with unique features along with a narrow and uniform pore size distribution (0.030 ± 0.005 μm). The etched membrane exhibits an increase of 2.3 times in pure water flux (PWF) and of 6.5 times in permeate flux(PF), with a slight decrease in rejection ratio (93.2% vs. 97%) when compared to than that of the un-etched membrane. Moreover, this membrane displayed outstanding antifouling ability, i.e., a flux recovery ratio (FRR) of 97% for 1000 mg/L bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution, a low irreversible fouling ratio of 0.5%, and highly enhanced hydrophilicity due to the formation of pores/voids throughout the membrane structure. The aforementioned features of the etched membrane indicate that the proposed method of etching SiO2 NP in membrane matrix has a great potential to improve the structure and separation efficiency of a PVDF/PMMA/CA blend membrane.

Tailoring polyethersulfone/quaternary ammonium polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane with positive charge for dye and salt selective separation

AbstractPolyethersulfone (PES)/quaternary ammonium polysulfone (QAPSf) blend ultrafiltration (UF) membranes with positive charge were fabricated by nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) for use in dye and salt selective separation. QAPSf was synthesized by nucleophilic substitution with chloromethylated polysulfone (CMPSf). The effect of the PES/QAPSf mass ratio on the morphology and performance of blend UF membranes were studied. The membranes' zeta potentials gradually changed from negative to positive with decreases in the PES/QAPSf mass ratio. At PES/QAPSf mass ratios of 30:70 and 10:90, the zeta potentials of the membranes reached +1.8 mV and + 5.9 mV, respectively. Additionally, the contact angles of the membranes decreased from 74° to 52° as the QAPSf content increased from 0 wt% to 90 wt%. Furthermore, the membrane with a PES/QAPSf mass ratio of 30:70 showed a high water permeance (181.4 LMH bar−1) and excellent dye and salt selective separation performance. The rejection ratios reached 99.1%, 87.8%, 99.6%, and 92.4% for dyes Congo red, methyl blue, Alixin blue 8GX, and basic blue 24, respectively, while those for salts Na2SO4, MgSO4, MgCl2, and NaCl were ≤ 10%. In addition, the PES/QAPSf membranes showed excellent antifouling performance and good operating stability with dye‐salt mixtures of various pHs and salt concentrations.

Mg-Fe layered double hydroxide modified montmorillonite as hydrophilic nanofiller in polysulfone- polyvinylpyrrolidone blend ultrafiltration membranes: separation of oil-water mixture

Montomorillonite (Mt) and MgFe layered double hydroxide modified Montmorillonite (LDH-Mt) were used as nanofillers in polysulfone - Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PSF-PVP) blend ultrafiltration membranes. The nanocomposite UF membranes and virgin PSF-PVP blend membranes were prepared by phase inversion method using water as the gelation medium. The membranes were characterized with respect to their surface hydrophilicity and roughness. Thermal stability, morphology and structure of the membranes were studied. LDH-Mt modified membranes were found to be the most hydrophilic, of best thermally stability and of highest surface roughness when compared with Mt modified and virgin PSF-PVP blend membranes. Asymmetric pore morphology is the characteristics of all the membranes. LDH-Mt modified membranes exhibited pure water flux (PWP) of 592 L m−2 h−1 whereas the values are 335.5 L m−2 h−1 and 208 L m−2 h−1 for Mt modified and virgin PSF-PVP blend membranes respectively indicating comparatively loose surface pore structure of the nanocomposite membranes. The membranes were used for the separation of oil-water mixture. The rejection of transformer oil and motor oil were found to be 87.2% and 95.9% for LDH-Mt modified membranes whereas for virgin PSF-PVP blend membranes the values are 71.8% and 88% respectively.

Removal of Dye from a Leather Tanning Factory by Flat-Sheet Blend Ultrafiltration (UF) Membrane.

In this work, a flat-sheet blend membrane was fabricated by a traditional phase inversion method, using the polymer blends poly phenyl sulfone (PPSU) and polyether sulfone (PES) for the ultrafiltration (UF) application. It was hypothesized that adding PES to the PPSU polymer blend would improve the properties of the PPSU membrane. The effect of the PES concentration on the blend membrane properties was investigated extensively. The characteristics of PPSU-PES blend membranes were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measure, and contaminant (dye) elimination efficiency. This study showed that PES clearly affected the structural formation of the blended membranes. A considerable increase in the average roughness (about 93%) was observed with the addition of 4% PES, with a higher mean pore size accompanied by a rise in the pores’ density on the surface of the membrane. The addition of up to 4% PES had a significant influence on the hydrophilic character of the PPSU-PES membrane, by lowering the value of the contact angle (CA) (i.e., to 56.9°). The performance of the PPSU-PES composite membranes’ UF performance was systematically investigated, and the membrane pure water permeability (PWP) was enhanced by 25% with the addition of 4% PES. The best separation removal factor achieved in the current investigation for dye (Drupel Black NT) was 96.62% for a PPSU-PES (16:4 wt./wt.%) membrane with a 50% feed dye concentration.

L-Histidine doped-TiO2-CdS nanocomposite blended UF membranes with photocatalytic and self-cleaning properties for remediation of effluent from a local waste stabilization pond (WSP) under visible light

In this study, a dual photocatalyst of TiO2-CdS doped by C, N nonmetals with the aid of l-Histidine (C, N-doped TiO2-CdS) was synthesized and then incorporated into polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane matrix in order to endow photocatalytic and self-antifouling properties. The resulting photocatalytic nanocomposite was first characterized by analyses of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), photoluminescence (PL), and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The fabricated membranes were identified through tests of SEM, contact angle and Atomic force analysis (AFM). The membranes performance was evaluated in terms of pure water flux (PWF) and antifouling experiments in a dead end set up. To find out optimum conditions and investigate photocatalytic properties under continuous visible light irradiation, the impacts of two operating variables, i.e. working pressure (P, 1−5bar) and cross flow rate (Q, 50−150L/h) at three levels on four responses were investigated in a continuous regime using filtration of effluent from waste stabilization pound (WSP). From the results, the highest PWF, FRR and Rr were found to be 80.37kg/m2h, 80. 2 %, and 56. 1 % for the membrane modified by 0.5wt. % C, N doped TiO2-CdS contrast to 60.69kg/m2h, 33 % and 15.6 % obtained for the control membrane. At optimum conditions, i.e. 3bar and 150L/h, the values of PWF, FRR and COD removal were 150.6kg/m2h, 89.5 % and 65.26 %, respectively. An improvement of 1.4, 1.5 and 1.3 times in PWF, FRR, and COD removal, respectively, were achieved for the 0.5wt.% membrane under visible light irradiation compared to the control one. These results were attributed to super hydrophilicity, photocatalytic properties and self-antifouling.