Fabrication of graphene oxide incorporated polyethersulfone hybrid ultrafiltration membranes for humic acid removal

In this study, hybrid polyethersulfone membranes incorporated with graphene oxide were synthesized by a non solvent induced phase separation approach. The influence of graphene oxide content on the membrane efficiency and fouling durability was elucidated, with emphasis on water flux, natural organic matter (NOM) rejection using humic acid as a model for NOM, and flux reduction due to fouling. The results revealed that the water flux increased with increasing GO content. It is worth noting that the MGO-5 membrane exhibits the highest J(w) value (340 L m(-2) h(-1)) among all the fabricated membrane, while the greatest J(HA) (193.78 L m(-2)h(-1)) value was obtained for MGO-3 membrane. NOM rejection was improved significantly by the incorporation of GO. The best rejection value of HA solution using the membranes was observed for MGO-3 at pH 7. The presence of GO also improved the membrane reusability and antifouling capabilities, due to the enhancement of the hydrophilicity of the GO-membrane surface.