In this study, a multifunctional poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane was developed through chemical binding with ZnO-Ag nanocomposites to increase wastewater treatment efficiency. The unique characteristics of ZnO-Ag nanocomposites endowed the membrane with high surface hydrophilicity, organic/bio fouling resistance, and photocatalytic antibacterial activity. The significantly decreased water contact angle and increased under-water oil contact angle suggested improved surface hydrophilicity and organic fouling resistance. Through factorial analysis, it was found that the antibacterial activity of the multifunctional membrane could be significantly improved under visible light condition and with ZnO-Ag nanocomposites which obtained under higher Ag concentration and sintering temperature. The increase of Ag composition of ZnO-Ag nanocomposites on modified membrane surface significantly improved the membrane antibacterial activity but had little effect on membrane hydrophilicity. In addition, the photocatalytic antibacterial activity of ZnO-Ag nanocomposites could further improve the membrane biofouling resistance through simple exposure to visible light. The effects of different Ag chemical states on the performances of ZnO-Ag nanocomposites and the corresponding modified membranes were studied, and the relevant mechanism of antibacterial activity under both dark and light conditions was discussed. Filtration experiments with secondary wastewater effluent as feed solution indicated that the developed membrane exhibited one order of magnitude larger permeate flux compared to the pristine PVDF membrane, while maintaining comparable bacteria rejection rates during the filtration process.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.