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Fabrication of asymmetric zinc oxide/carbon nanotubes coated polysulfone photocatalytic nanocomposite membrane for fouling mitigation
Author(s) -
Phin Hor Yan,
Sin Jin Chung,
Tan Soon Huat,
Chew Thiam Leng,
Ong Yit Thai
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.51194
Subject(s) - materials science , nanocomposite , photocatalysis , polysulfone , membrane , chemical engineering , carbon nanotube , fouling , phase inversion , biofouling , polymer , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , catalysis , biochemistry , engineering
Membrane filtration is a favorable option in water reclamation from contaminated water source, nevertheless, inevitable membrane fouling which greatly shortens membrane longevity and separation efficiency. The paper aimed to mitigate the membrane fouling through the formation of an asymmetric PSF‐ZnO/CNTs photocatalytic nanocomposite membrane. Instead of direct blending the photocatalyst into polymer matrix, the asymmetric nanocomposite membrane was prepared with prior formation of a self‐assembled ZnO/CNTs photocatalyst layer through wet‐processing technique followed with coating of PSF support layer via phase inversion method. The morphology of the nanocomposite membrane was characterized to confirm the formation of the asymmetric structure. The effect of ZnO/CNTs photocatalyst loading on the pore characteristic and antifouling properties of the PSF‐ZnO/CNTs nanocomposite membrane in dye remediation were assessed. The incorporation of ZnO/CNTs layer was found to endows the membrane with ability to photodegrade methylene blue. The PSF‐ZnO/CNTs membrane with 0.038 g ZnO/CNTs photocatalyst loading (M5) showed the greatest flux recovery ratio (98.46%) and the lowest irreversible fouling ratio (1.54%) while exhibited decent water permeability about 29.99 L/m 2 h without compromise the methylene blue rejection rate (91.04%).