Facile co-sintering process to fabricate sustainable antifouling silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-enhanced tight ceramic ultrafiltration membranes for protein separation

Abstract

Protein separation in medical care applications using tight ceramic ultrafiltration (UF) membranes with multilayer asymmetric structures is hindered by challenges in their fabrication and fouling phenomenon. In this study, a facile co-sintering method for fabrication of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-enhanced tight ceramic ultrafiltration membranes was comprehensively investigated. The introduction of AgNPs into the membrane layer not only controlled the membrane surface charge properties, but also alleviated the sintering stress in the co-sintering process, ensuring a complete membrane layer owing to the higher ductility. The AgNPs obtained from silver nitrate were introduced before the formation of boehmite nucleation, providing a uniform distribution of AgNPs within boehmite owing to the electric double layer. The final UF membranes prepared by the co-sintering process exhibited a molecular weight cut-off of 9000 Da and permeability of 62 Lm -2 h -1 bar -1 . Furthermore, the isoelectric point of the membrane surface could be controlled by the AgNPs (from 9.0 to 2.7 unit?), providing sustainable antifouling properties for protein purification owing to the electrostatic repulsion force. The proposed facile co-sintering process for fabrication of antifouling ceramic UF membranes with the assistance of AgNPs could decrease the sintering time and energy consumption, and thus is promising for industrial protein purification applications.

Interfacial Sites in Ag Supported Layered Double Oxide for Dehydrogenation Coupling of Ethanol to n‐Butanol

“…The peak at 75.43–74.91 eV becomes less obvious with increasing size of Ag particle. In a previous report on Ag doped alumina, an increase in the binding energy of Al 2p has been observed due to the formation of Ag−O−Al chemical bonds [21] . The binding energy at 75.43–74.91 eV is thus proposed to originate from the Al sites interacting with Ag particles.…”

“…In a previous report on Ag doped alumina, an increase in the binding energy of Al 2p has been observed due to the formation of AgÀ OÀ Al chemical bonds. [21] The binding energy at 75.43-74.91 eV is thus proposed to originate from the Al sites interacting with Ag particles. In the Mg 1s XPS spectra (Figure 6C), no obvious change in the binding energy assigned [22] to MgÀ O-Mg or MgÀ OÀ Al is observed (Figure 6C) with increasing Ag particle size, further confirming our proposal that the negatively charged Ag sites originates from Ag particles interacting with AlÀ O sites rather than MgÀ O sites.…”

Membrane bioreactors for hospital wastewater treatment: recent advancements in membranes and processes

“…For example, many new nanomaterials (from zero-dimensional to three-dimensional) are designed and prepared as membranes with controllable structures (pore size and shape) [143,144]. Nanospheres or nanoparticles have large specific surface areas and are fabricated as functional layers with enhanced membrane flux or selectivity [145][146][147]. One-dimensional nanomaterials such as nanowires, nanotubes, and nanofibers have high mechanical strength, stability, and selectivity and have been widely used for membrane separation [148][149][150].…”

Effect of iron oxide content and microstructural porosity on the performance of ceramic membranes as microbial fuel cell separators

“…Their low cost, natural availability and functional long term robustness make these cost-effective materials a feasible option for scaled-up systems [14 , 15] . Another advantage of using these environmentally friendly materials as membranes is that their microstructure can be easily modified by either adding other compounds to raw ceramic clay or by varying the conditions of the sintering process [16 , 17] . These modifications directly affect parameters such as the overall effective porosity or pore size distribution within ceramic membranes and therefore, the flux of ions through its structure, which is related to the power performance of the MFCs [18] .…”