Membranes Fouling Propensity of PSF/GO Hollow Fiber Mixed Matrix Membranes for Water Treatment Ultrafiltration Application

Abstract

The study investigated the fouling propensity of polysulfone (PSF) hollow fiber (HF) mixed matrix membranes modified with 1.0 wt.% graphene oxide (GO). Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), water contact angle (WCA), and mechanical assessments, the structural characteristics of both untreated and GO‐modified PSF HF membranes were examined. Filtration experiments included pure water and model contaminants such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), humic acid (HA), E. coli, and oil‐in‐water emulsion. The GO‐modified membranes demonstrated a significant enhancement in antifouling performance, recovering over 90% of their initial pure water flux with HA and oil, indicating high resistance to irreversible fouling. Additionally, the GO‐modified membranes showed superior oil separation efficiency. However, fouling parameters for BSA were similar for both membrane types, suggesting that GO does not significantly affect membrane‐BSA interactions. Both types of membranes displayed high retention capabilities for E. coli, with no noticeable improvement due to GO addition. This study highlights the potential of GO‐modified PSF HF membranes in enhancing antifouling performance and oil separation efficiency.