Activated-Carbon-Doped Non-Solvent-Induced Phase-Inversion Membranes: A Comprehensive Study on Synthesis, Characterisation, and Performance Evaluation

Abstract

Wastewater treatment often enables discharge into natural water bodies, but for effective reuse, further treatment is essential. Membrane processes provide a precise solution yet face limitations due to fouling and organic material adsorption, impacting their performance. This study focuses on synthesising ultrafiltration membranes using non-solvent-induced phase separation. These membranes are produced from a Polyethersulfone/N,N′-dimethylacetanamide (PES/DMA) solution with varying concentrations of three commercial powdered activated carbons (ACs). The membranes undergo comprehensive analysis, revealing different behaviours based on AC type and concentration in the active layer. Among the membranes, Norit R with 0.5 wt.% concentration exhibits the highest polyethylene glycol (PEG) rejection, with an impressive rejection index (R) of 80.34% and permeability coefficient of 219.29 (L·m−2·h−1·bar−1). AC-enhanced membranes display superior selectivity compared to non-doped PES membranes. This work highlights the significant influence of AC textural properties, specifically specific surface area, total micropore volume, and average micropore width, on membrane performance, particularly the rejection index.

Removal of Iron and Copper Ions and Phenol from Liquid Phase by Membrane Based on Carbonaceous Materials

“…Membrane processes represent one of the most popular methods for contaminant removal in chemical engineering [ 7 , 8 ]. At the synthesis stage, membranes can be modified by the addition of a pore-generating agent (e.g., polyvinylpyrrolidone) or materials (e.g., activated carbons) to improve the removal efficiency [ 9 , 10 ]. Modified membranes are obtained using the phase inversion method, the most popular of the flat sheet membrane fabrication methods.…”