Tuning permeation characteristics of cellulose acetate membrane embedded with raw and amine-functionalized silicon carbide nanoparticle for oil-water separation

The current research aimed to develop a polymeric nanocpmposite membrane with a low cost nanoparticle for efficient oil-water separation. Cellulose acetate (CA) polymer was used to synthesis membrane by phase inversion method and membrane property was influenced by the addition of functioalized silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles. The obtained results indicated that high water flux was achieved using the modified nanocomposite membranes, which manifested improved attributes in terms of pore size, hydrophilicity, porosity, and water content. To know more about the membrane morphology and physicochemical properties field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), tensile test were utilized as characterization techniques. The functionalised SiC nanopacticle was also analysed by XRD, FTIR and FESEM techniques. The water contact angle of the pure CA membrane was 77.13 +/- 2.9, whereas it was as low as 58.6 degrees +/- 4.2 after modification. The modified membranes, as such, mirrored reasonably enhanced hydrophilicity. Besides, reasonable improvement in the antifouling attributes of the membranes was also observed. The pure water flux offered by the modified membranes in a microfiltration test unit was increased by 89 %. Though there was no significant improvement in BSA rejection, the competence of the modified membranes apropos of separation of toluene from its emulsion in water was adequately substantiated.

Automated summary

The research has developed a polymeric nanocomposite membrane with low-cost nanoparticles for efficient oil-water separation. The modified nanocomposite membranes showed improved performance in terms of pore size, hydrophilicity, and water content, with enhanced antifouling attributes. Characterization techniques revealed that functionalized SiC nanoparticles led to increased water flux and hydrophilicity in the membranes.