Preparation and Performance Assessment of Low-Pressure Affinity Membranes Based on Functionalized, Electrospun Polyacrylates for Gold Nanoparticle Filtration

Abstract

Electrospun nanofibrous membranes (ENM) possess many advantages over commonly utilized water purification systems. They provide high porosity with interconnected pores and a high surface to volume ratio, facilitating particle adsorption. Affinity separation moves into a promising future for application, for example, nanoparticle adsorption with excellent filtration efficiency, because of its highly specific adsorption mechanism. However, not all effects on filtration performance are entirely understood. In this paper, we investigate significant filtration parameters, such as pore size, mechanical stability, and hydrophilicity, and determine a sequence of importance for an optimal pressure drop. Copolymers with various hydrophilic functional groups such as acid, amide, pyridine, and quaternary amine were utilized. Effects on the pressure drop or nanoparticle filtration efficiency can then easily be attributed to the corresponding functional group. UV-light was used to induce cross-linking in the membranes, which subsequently surpassed the mechanical stability of commonly used hydrophobic membranes. A maximum tensilestress of up to 11.6 MPa was obtained, whereby an optimization of at least 22% was achieved. Moreover, these cross-links reduce fiber swelling by a maximum of 26%. The membrane potential depends on the different functional groups and their incorporation number from 10 to 50 mol %. Successful gold nanoparticle (AuNP) filtration in flow mode was demonstrated and highlighted the outstanding membrane properties and selectivity. The Nplus membrane achieved 100% filtration efficiency over a duration of 6 min, surpassing the Pyr membrane's performance. This was attributed to the ionic interaction of the Nplus membrane, in contrast with the physical adsorption of the Pyr membrane.

Sustainable Electrospun Affinity Membranes for Water Remediation by Removing Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

“…Procedures for copolymerization, electrospinning, cross-linking, as well as membrane properties were already published in our previous paper. 44 Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of membranes are visualized in Figure 1.…”

“…The membrane properties, such as fiber diameter, pore size, tensile strength, and pressure drop were investigated. Procedures for copolymerization, electrospinning, cross-linking, as well as membrane properties were already published in our previous paper . Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of membranes are visualized in Figure .…”

“…These functional groups are well known for interaction with NP. 43 Based on our previous work 44 on the filtration of AuNPs using the above mentioned functional groups in electrospun nonwovens, we have expanded our investigation to the filtration of environmentally highly relevant metal NP and metal oxide NPs (AgNPs, CuO NPs, ZnO NPs, Fe 2 O 3 NPs, TiO 2 NPs). The filtration efficiency and adsorption capacity of the electrospun nonwovens with the different functional groups were investigated in detail as a function of particle size in the range of 26−156 nm and various particle ligands.…”

Stable Mesoscale Nonwovens of Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile and Interpenetrating Supramolecular 1,3,5-Benzenetrisamide Fibers as Efficient Carriers for Gold Nanoparticles

“…26658-88-8) was used. A number-average molecular weight of 100 000 was determined by gel permeation chromatography as described elsewhere using N , N -dimethylformamide (DMF) as the eluent and narrowly distributed polystyrene standards for calibration.…”

Photocatalytic Nanofiber Membranes for the Degradation of Micropollutants and Their Antimicrobial Activity: Recent Advances and Future Prospects

“…The Pyr mechanism was based on physical adsorption while the Nplus mechanism was based on attraction of particles by ionic charge (chemical adsorption). It was further concluded that the pressure drop studies were controlled mostly by the pore size and tensile strength of the nanofiber membranes [164] Flux decline was also reduced during the filtration of Acid Orange 7 [91]. Gao et al enhanced the photocatalytic performance of a filtration membrane in both UV and visible light irradiation through surface modification using TiO 2 -GO nanocomposites.…”