Preparation, Characterization and Performance Study of Poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) [PIAM] and Polysulfone [PSf] Composite Membranes before and after Alkali Treatment

Abstract

Recently, nanofiltration (NF) membranes have been drawing much attention in the field of filtration and the purification process of water/industrial effluents, because of their energy efficiency and low cost. Although reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are widely used in present desalination units, NF membranes are considered as "future membranes" for desalination, because of the low operating pressure. In the present paper, we hereby report the synthesis of a new composite NF membranes of poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PIAM) with polysulfone, using a diffusion-induced phase separation (DIPS) method. The anhydride groups were converted to acid group by alkaline treatment. Newly prepared composite membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies. The membranes were tested for salt rejection and water swelling. The resulted NF membranes exhibited significantly enhanced water permeability while retaining high salt rejection. The flux and rejection rate of the NF membrane to Na 2 SO 4 (500 ppm) reached to 11.73 L/(m 2 h) and 49% rejection under 1 MPa and also 70:30 composition of the membrane showed 54% water swelling; contact angle measurement, ion exchange capacity, and water uptake of the membrane were recorded.

PVC based polyvinyl alcohol zinc oxide composite membrane: Synthesis and electrochemical characterization for heavy metal ions

“…The water content of a membrane depends on the vapour pressure of the surroundings. The low order of water content, ion-exchange capacity, swelling and porosity with less thickness of membrane suggests that interstices are negligible and diffusion across the membrane would occur mainly through exchange sites [22,24].…”

“…The membrane in H + form was immersed in a 1 M NaCl solution for 24 h for the complete replacement of H + with Na + . The remaining solution was then titrated with 0.1 M of NaOH using phenolphthalein indicator [24].…”

Synthesis, physico-chemical characterization, transport phenomena and antibacterial activity of polystyrene based barium phosphate composite membrane

“…In case of most of the transport measurements, only the membrane water content at saturation is needed, and that too mostly as a function of solute concentration. Thus, low order of water content, swelling and porosity with less thickness of membrane suggests that interstices are negligible and diffusion across the membrane would occur mainly through exchange sites [26,29].…”

“…The membrane in H + form was immersed in a 1 M NaCl solution for 24 h for the complete replacement of H + with Na + . The remaining solution was then titrated with 0.1 M of NaOH using phenolphthalein indicator [26].…”

Modification of PSf/PIAM membrane for improved desalination applications using Chitosan coagulation media

“…Based on these observations, in our current work polysulfone/poly (isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) NF membranes (our earlier reported work [32]) were modified using different concentrations of Chitosan in coagulation bath. From our earlier study, the well performed composition of PSf and PIAM, i.e.…”