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Performance evaluation of iron nanoparticles infused polyethersulphone (Fe‐NPs/PES) membrane during treatment of BTEX‐contaminated wastewater
Author(s) -
Unuigbe Chinwe F.,
Fayemiwo Oluwademilade M.,
Daramola Michael O.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/wej.12506
Subject(s) - contact angle , membrane distillation , materials science , membrane , scanning electron microscope , nanoparticle , btex , chemical engineering , permeation , phase inversion , nanocomposite , surface roughness , composite material , chemistry , ethylbenzene , nanotechnology , benzene , organic chemistry , biochemistry , desalination , engineering
In this study, polyethersulfone (PES) was infused with iron nanoparticles (Fe‐NPs) obtained from the leaf of pomegranate plant to enhance hydrophilicity of the PES membrane. The resulted nanocomposite Fe‐NPs/PES membrane obtained via phase inversion was characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for the morphology; a texture analyzer for the mechanical strength; an atomic force microscope (AFM) for the surface roughness; and water contact angle measurement for the degree of hydrophilicity. The separation performance of the membrane was evaluated using BTEX‐containing wastewater. SEM images show that Fe‐NPs were distributed uniformly within the membrane with improved mechanical strength. Mechanical strength of PES was enhanced at increasing Fe‐NPs loading from 1.2 MPa for the pure PES to 8.94 MPa for 20 wt.% Fe‐NPs loaded membrane. AFM analysis reveals that membrane roughness increased with increase in Fe‐NPs loading. Also, the contact angle measurement indicates that the hydrophilicity of the composite membrane was enhanced by the addition of Fe‐NPs. The permeation properties reveal that pure water flux of the composite membrane increased with increasing Fe‐NPs loading. In addition, the highest BTEX rejection obtained was 64.55% at 10 wt.% Fe‐NPs loading when compared to the rejection 41.4% obtained from the pure PES membrane evaluated at similar conditions.