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Chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/amino functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube pervaporation membranes: Synthesis, characterization, and performance
Author(s) -
Langari Sepideh,
Saljoughi Ehsan,
Mousavi Seyed Mahmoud
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.4091
Subject(s) - pervaporation , membrane , materials science , polyvinyl alcohol , chitosan , chemical engineering , isopropyl alcohol , glutaraldehyde , vinyl alcohol , biodegradation , permeation , contact angle , polymer , polymer chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
In the present study, novel biodegradable nanocomposite membranes were prepared by adding the amino functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube (NH 2 ‐MWCNT) to the chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol blend polymers, and the obtained membranes were used for dehydration of isopropyl alcohol through pervaporation process. For this purpose, the membranes were prepared with chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol ratio of 4:1 on the basis of “solution casting” method and then crosslinked using glutaraldehyde, after addition of different amounts of NH 2 ‐MWCNT. The prepared membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, contact angle, mechanical strength, degree of swelling (DS), and biodegradability. Also, the ability of the prepared membranes in dehydration of isopropyl alcohol was determined using pervaporation experiments. Results indicated that contact angle, mechanical resistance, separation factor (α), and pervaporation separation index were increased with the addition of NH 2 ‐MWCNT up to 10 wt% (relative to the total amount of polymer) and then decreased in the higher presence of nanotubes (15 wt%). Furthermore, the DS and permeate flux were first decreased and then increased for the same mentioned amounts of additive. In this study, optimized membrane was obtained by the addition of 10 wt% NH 2 ‐MWCNT. This membrane showed the maximum α (99.5), pervaporation separation index parameter (78.29 kg m −2 h −1 ), biodegradability, and mechanical stability as well as minimum DS.