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Functionalised activated carbon modified polyphenylsulfone composite membranes for adsorption enhanced phenol filtration
Author(s) -
Saranya Rameshkumar,
Kumar Muthaiyan,
Tamilarasan Rengasamy,
Ismail Ahmad Fauzi,
Arthanareeswaran Gangasalam
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.4641
Subject(s) - membrane , adsorption , phase inversion , activated carbon , phenol , chemistry , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , chemical engineering , nuclear chemistry , chromatography , organic chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
BACKGROUND Functionalized activated carbon ( FAC ) was prepared by immobilizing the activated carbon ( AC ) synthesized from Acacia fumosa seeds in cacium‐alginate beads. Synthesized FAC has been blended with polyphenylsulfone ( PPSU ) in the composition of 0.25 to 1 wt% with an increment of 0.25 wt% to prepare composite membranes of PPSU / FAC by wet phase inversion method. The existence of FAC in PPSU was confirmed by Fourier transform infra‐red spectroscopy ( FTIR ) studies by the presence of characteristic functional groups of FAC . The influence of FAC on adsorption enhanced rejection of phenol during membrane filtration has been investigated. RESULTS The hydrophilicity of PPSU / FAC composite membranes has been improved by FAC as there was a profound reduction in contact angle from 71.8° to 43.8°. With the minimum loading of 0.25 wt% of FAC in PPSU , the maximum adsorption of phenol has taken place suggesting that the better dispersion of minimal loading will offer higher accessibility to adsorptive sites. CONCLUSIONS The adsorption of phenol on FAC was observed to be higher in PPSU / FAC composite membranes when compared with FAC being used solely as an adsorbent. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry