Carboxylated Graphene Oxide (c-GO) Embedded ThermoPlastic Polyurethane (TPU) Mixed Matrix Membrane with Improved Physicochemical Characteristics

Abstract

Water is an important component of our life. However, the unavailability of fresh water and its contamination are emerging problems. The textile industries are the major suppliers of contamination of water, producing high concentrations of heavy metals and hazardous dyes posing serious health hazards. Several technologies for water purification are available in the market. Among them, the membrane technology is a highly advantageous and facile strategy to remediate wastewater. Herein, the distinguished combination of pore-forming agents, solvent, and nanoparticles has been used to achieve improved functioning of the polymeric composite membranes. To do so, graphene oxide (GO) was fabricated via Hummer’s technique and GO functionalization using chloroacetic acid (c-GO) was performed. Thermoplastic polyurathane (TPU) membranes having different concentrations c-GO were made using the phase inversion technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine surface morphology, chemical functionalities on membranes surfaces, and crystallinity of membranes, respectively. The temperature-dependent behavior of c-GO composite membranes has been analyzed using DSC technique. The water contact angle measurements were performed for the estimation of hydrophilicity of the c-GO based TPU membrane. The improved water permeability of the composite membrane was observed with increasing the c-GO concentration in polymeric membranes. c-GO was observed as a potential candidate that enhanced membrane physicochemical properties. The proposed membranes can behave as efficient candidates in multiple domains of environmental remediation. Furthermore, the improved dye rejection characteristics of proposed composite membranes suggest that the membranes can be best suited for wastewater treatment as well.

Development of Hydrophobic Fabrics Modified with Graphene: A Systematic Review

“…After the initial selection, exclusion criteria were applied based on the absence of graphene impregnation (108), studies related to sensors (19), films (11), electronics (1), biological applications (7), and electronic devices (10), resulting in a total of 55 studies deemed relevant to the subject under analysis. The identified articles underwent independent evaluation of their titles and abstracts to assess their suitability, leading to a total of 37 articles that were included in this study.…”

“…Graphene has stood out recently due to its remarkable properties, such as fracture resistance, thermal conductivity, impermeability, and hydrophobicity. In addition to these applications, a wide range of graphene applications includes electrical conductivity [2][3][4], usage as flame retardants [5], energy storage and conversion [6], dye removal [7], and antibacterial function [8]. However, applying graphene to a polymeric matrix (fabric) remains a significant challenge for researchers, particularly when considering highscale production and low cost.…”

Application of Graphene and Its Derivatives in Design of Functional Apparels

“…Shuangquan Lai et al [18] prepared carboxylated graphene oxide (GO-COOH) using bromoacetic acid (C2H3BrO2) and prepared GO-COOH modified polyacrylate leather finisher by co-blending method, and the dry and wet rub resistance, folding fastness and adhesion fastness of the coating became better and better with the increase of GO-COOH dosage after being used for leather finishing. Zahid Muhammad et al [19] used chloroacetic acid (c-GO) to functionalize GO and manufactured thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) films with different concentrations of c-GO by phase inversion technique, and the water permeability of the composite films was improved with increasing concentration of c-GO in the polymerized films.…”