Fabrication and characterization of novel SiO2-PAMPS/PSF hybrid ultrafiltration membrane with high water flux

Five different ratios of SiO2-PAMPS nanoparticles were prepared and these nanoparticles were then blended with polysulfone (PSF)/N, N-Dimethylacetamide (DMAC)/Ethanol solution to fabricate hybrid ultrafiltration membranes via wet phase-inversion process. Effects of SiO2-PAMPS nanoparticles on morphologies and properties of the resultant ultrafiltration membranes were investigated and assessed by measuring the surface and cross morphology, the water contact angle, the pure water flux, the porosity and the pore size. These experimental results suggested that the higher concentration of nanoparticles in casting solution induced a macrovoid enlargement of membrane cross section. Furthermore, the higher monomer mol ratio (M-SiO2/M-AMPS) of the hybrid nanoparticles in casting solution resulted in a sharp increase of water flux of the ultrafiltration membrane. The hybrid ultrafiltration membrane (SiO2-PAMPS4-0.3 wt.%) had the respective highest water fluxes of 190 L/m(2).h and 687 L/m(2).h at 0.1 MPa and 0.5 MPa. The SiO2-PAMPS nanoparticles rather than SiO2 nanoparticles showed excellent stability on membrane surface even after continuously shaking for 15 days. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.