Modified Graphene Oxide/Polyvinyl Chloride Membranes for Wastewater Treatment

Graphene oxide (GO) was modified by citric acid (CA) and embedded into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membranes. The PVC/GO-CA (0.15 wt %) membrane showed the best hydrophilicity, porosity, and tensile strength. The results of membranes' performance in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system demonstrated that the critical flux had a noticeable improvement after adding 0.15 wt % GO-CA. Also, the irreversible fouling ratio of PVC/GO-CA membranes was lower than that of the neat PVC membrane, indicating an improvement in antifouling properties of the nanocomposite membrane. Moreover, the soluble microbial product (SMP) and the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) of the cake layer reduced for the PVC/GO-CA (0.15 wt %) membrane because of its higher hydrophilicity and better antifouling behavior.

Automated summary

Graphene oxide (GO) was modified by citric acid (CA) and embedded into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membranes. The PVC/GO-CA (0.15 wt %) membrane showed the best hydrophilicity, porosity, and tensile strength. The critical flux in the membrane bioreactor (MBR) system noticeably improved and the antifouling properties of the nanocomposite membrane were enhanced.