Search

Increased population and urbanization have resulted in the generation of significant amounts of wastewater. The integration of membrane technology with nanotechnology has prompted revolutionary advances in the treatment of wastewaters. In this study, functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNT)- (GO) nanocomposite was prepared by self-assembly, then incorporated into polylactic acid (PLA) membranes. Different concentrations of f-MWCNT-GO ranging from 0% to 8 wt.% were used. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) was performed to confirm the existence of f-MWCNT-GO in the fabricated membranes. In addition, the effect of f-MWCNT-GO incorporation on the performance of the membranes were investigated by carrying out analyses that include, but are not limited to, deionized (DI) water contact angle (CA), porosity, water flux, heavy metals removal, etc. The addition of f-MWCNT-GO resulted in a decrease in the DI water CA from 79.0±3.8° in the pristine PLA membrane to 51.8±2.4° in the 8 wt.% f-MWCNT-GO-PLA membrane. Furthermore, the water flux increased from 1062.8 L/m2·h to 2543.4 L/m2·h in the pristine PLA and 8 wt.% f-MWCNT-GO-PLA membrane, respectively. Such membranes have the potential to be utilized in real wastewater treatment applications.

The integration of nanomaterials in membrane’s matrix aims to improve the membrane’s hydrophilicity, mechanical strength, thermal stability and water flux, which are vital membrane properties needed to active efficient removal of contaminants. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and functionalized Graphene oxide (fGO) have recently attracted attention, as they have proved to have potential in various applications. The main objective of this work was to fabricate polylactic acid (PLA) membranes incorporated with negatively charged, self-assembled MWCNT-fGO using phase inversion method. Different concentrations of MWCNT-fGO 2,4,6 and 8 wt% of the polymer were fabricated.

Polylactides are a prominent class of biocompatible and biodegradable polymers that can be used to fabricate membranes for wastewater treatment. Excessive nutrient (phosphorus and nitrogen) concentrations in water bodies are a serious concern that has resulted in widespread health problems and potable water shortages. In this study, ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were prepared from polylactic acid (PLA) using the phase inversion method. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis were used to characterize the membranes. The hydrophilicity of the membrane surface was investigated by analyzing the water contact angle (CA). The results showed that the PLA membranes had a finger-like asymmetric morphology and various dense pore sizes. When the concentration of the PLA polymer increased from 15% to 20%, the removal of ammonium‑nitrogen (NH