Metal-oxide nanotubes functional material tailored for membrane water/wastewater treatment

Abstract

Titanium Dioxide Nano-Tubes (TNTs) synthesized by hydrothermal method were used to prepare new polysulfone thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes. The TFN membranes contained different TNTs proportions (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 wt. %). A polyamide selective layer was formed on top of the TFN membrane surface using interfacial polymerization (IP). Nanofiltration experiments were performed using NaCl and MgSO4 salts solutions. The water flux was found to increase with increased TNT loading in the membrane due to high porosity of embedded nanoparticles and the formation of enlarged pores. The antifouling behaviour of the membrane was tested by bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution and found to improve with increased TNT content in the membrane. - 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.