Abstract

Fabrication of polyvinylchloride based nanofiltration membrane filled with SiO2 nanoparticles: Performance and physico-chemical characterization

Author(s): E.Bagheripour, A.R.Moghadassi, S.M.Hosseini, S.Ansari

Polyvinylchloride-co-SiO2 nanoparticles nanofiltrationmembraneswere prepared by phase inversionmethod through immersion precipitation technique. For the purpose, PVP and N, N dimethylacetamide were utilized as pore former and solvent inmembranes fabrication. The effect of SiO2 nanoparticle concentration in the casting solution on membrane performance and physico-chemical propertieswas studied.The fabricatedmembraneswere investigatedinterms of purewater flux,permeabilityflux, MgSO4 rejection,water content percent, porosity and tensile strength.Obtainedresults showedthatmembrane PWF, permeability,water content, porosityand tensile strengthwere improved byutilizingSiO2 nanoparticle inmembranematrix.The improving of PWF and per-meability continued by addition 0.1 % wt. sio2 nanoparticles and again decreased by additionmore concentration of nanoparticles (0.5 and 1wt.%). The membrane rejection alsoexhibitednearlyconstant trend by using additive nanoparticles. The prepared nanocompositemembrane containing 0.1%wt SiO2 nanoparticles showed more appropriate performance compared to others. In addition the effect of membrane thickness, feed concentration and operating pressure on membranes performance was studied.