The Effect of Silica Concentration on The Absorption Properties of Silica-Based Ceramic Membrane

Abstract

Water pollution is currently an increasingly widespread environmental problem. Methylene blue is a synthetic dye used in the textile industry which pollutes the aquatic environment. The absorption of Methylene Blue textile dye which pollutes the environment uses silica precipitate as a filler in ceramic membranes with a clay matrix. Silica precipitate added to the ceramic membrane varies with a concentration of 0.3 %, 1.01 %, 1.68 %, 2.34 % and 2.99 %. The membrane will be characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) testing to determine the functional groups of the components it contains. Testing the absorption of methylene blue contaminant content from artificial wastewater using the UV-Vis Spectrophotometry test. The FTIR test carried out compared the functional groups of membrane samples before and after sintering. The results obtained from the FTIR test were that the membrane after sintering contained silica and some PEG, while the membrane before sintering contained other components such as PVA, PEG, water molecules and silica. The UV-Vis test carried out on the membrane gave results that the membrane was 0.3 %, 1.01 %, 1.68 %, 2.34 % and 2.99 % respectively has a removal efficiency of 58.0 %, 54.0 %, 59.3 %, 64.0 % and 66.4 %, where the best removal efficiency of methylene blue was on a membrane filled with 2.99 % of silica. Tests on the membrane showed that an increase in silica concentration was in line with an increase in the quality of the membrane’s performance in rejecting methylene blue contaminants.