In general, the polysulfone (PSf ) membranes are popular choices for water treatment because they have high thermal stability and good chemical resistance. On the other hand, the filtration capacity of the polysulfone membrane is limited because of its low water flux and poor antifouling ability, which are caused by the low surface hydrophilicity of the membranes. In this research, blending of graphene oxide (GO) or graphene oxide-titanium dioxide (GO-TiO 2 ) mixture into the polysulfone matrix had been carried out through the phase inversion method to enhance the hydrophilic and antifouling properties. Methods such as energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement were used to examine the surface properties of the prepared membranes. Experimental results have led to a conclusion that graphene oxide can be stabilized into prepared membranes, and then, by reducing the water contact angle values, the surface of these membranes becomes hydrophilic, which increases the permeability and the water flux of methylene blue from the aqueous feed solution, improving the membrane's antifouling resistance.

In this work, the polyamide (PA) membrane surface has been modified by coating of nanomaterials including graphene oxide (GO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) to enhance membrane separation and antifouling properties. The influence of surface modification conditions on membrane characteristics has been investigated and compared with a base membrane. Membrane surface properties were determined through scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Membrane separation performance was determined through the possibility for the removal of methylene blue (MB) in water. Membrane antifouling property was evaluated by the maintained flux ratios (%) after 120 minutes of filtration. The experimental results showed that the appearance of hydrophilic groups after coating of GO and TiO2 nanocomposite materials with or without UV irradiation onto membrane surface made an improvement in the separation property of the coated membranes. The membrane flux increased from 28% to 61%; meanwhile, the antifouling property of the coated membranes was improved clearly, especially for UV-irradiated PA/GO-TiO2 membrane.