Effects of surface modification of the membrane in the ultrafiltration of waste water

Abstract

An ultrafiltration membrane (polyethersulfone, PM10) was surface-modified by treating it with low-temperature plasmas of oxygen, acrylic acid (AA), acetylene, diaminocyclohexane (DACH), and hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO). The effects that these modifications have on the filtration efficiency of a membrane in waste water treatment were investigated. The oxygen, AA, and DACH plasma-treated membranes became more hydrophilic. The water contact angles ranged from 10 o to 55 o depending on the type of plasma and the treatment conditions. The oxygen plasma-treated membranes displayed a higher initial flux (312-429%), but lower rejection (6-91%), than did an untreated membrane. The AA plasma-treated membranes displayed lower or higher initial flux (42-156%), depending upon the treatment conditions, but higher rejection (224-295%) in all cases. The DACH plasma-treated membranes displayed lower initial flux. All of them, especially the AA plasma-treated membrane, displayed improved fouling resistance with either a slower or no flux decline. Acetylene and HMDSO plasma-treated membranes became more hydrophobic and displayed both lower initial flux and lower fouling resistance.

Plasma deposition of silver nanoparticles on ultrafiltration membranes: Antibacterial and anti-biofouling properties

“…These results are in agreement with the existing literature [8, 33]. When etching occurs the membrane becomes thinner and the flux increases consequently [7]. The etching effect was detected in the SEM image of a membrane, treated with Ar/O 2 plasma without polymer deposition (Figure 5).…”

The art of surface modification of synthetic polymeric membranes

“…The permeation rates of pure water and gelatine solution increased over the entire pH range, and the plasma‐treated membrane surface showed less fouling 130. Cho et al131 modified PES UF membrane by treating with low‐temperature plasma of oxygen, acrylic acid (AA), acetylene, diaminocyclohexane (DACH), and HMDSO. The effects of these modifications on the filtration efficiency of a membrane in waste water treatment been investigated.…”

“…One of them entails H 2 O and air plasma treatment of polyetherimide and PSf plane and HFMs for hydrophilic modification 134, 135. The other describes H 2 O/He plasma treatment of polyacrylonitrile and PSf UF membranes to promote antifouling properties 131…”

Preparation and evaluation of poly(vinylidene fluoride)-sulfonated poly(1,4-phenylene sulfide) based membranes with improved hydrophilicity

“…Since the last decade, many research groups working in the field of separation and purification technologies have focused their attention on novel polymeric membranes instead of conventional inorganic materials due to their better membrane-forming ability, flexibility, stereo-regularity, chain interactions and polarity of functional groups present in the polymer chains. [3][4][5][6][7] Among them, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is widely used as membranes due to its excellent film-forming properties along with good thermal and hydrolytic stabilities. In fact, PVDF membranes are mostly preferred over other polymer types in ultrafiltration, microfiltration, pervaporation and conventional waste water treatment systems due to its excellent chemical resistance to aggressive reagents like organic solvents, acids and bases.…”