BiOCl as the role of cleaner for the fabrication of self-cleaning PES membranes based on the RTIPS method

Due to its cost-effectiveness and productivity, membrane separation technology is widely utilized in the treatment of wastewater, but a major barrier to its further development is organic membrane fouling, which is mainly caused by humic acid (HA). To address this issue, BiOCl/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) composites were produced using the ambient stirring method, while polyethersulfone (PES)/BiOCl/PVP self-cleaning membranes were manufactured using the reverse thermally induced phase separation (RTIPS) method. Considering the pure water flux of 3566.67 L m- 2 h-1 and HA retention of 87.24 %, the 0.3 wt% PES/BiOCl/PVP (PB2-65) composite membrane had excellent permeability. The flux recovery of the composite membrane was 76.19 % after three photocatalytic cycles, and cycling experiments proved that the PB2-65 self-cleaning mechanism was stable. The performance of PB2-65 was not compromised when the use cycle was noticeably prolonged under light irradiation. The membranes in this study offer beneficial strategies and solutions for membrane contamination issues.

Automated summary

Membrane separation technology is widely used in wastewater treatment due to its cost-effectiveness and productivity. However, organic membrane fouling caused by humic acid is a major barrier to its further development. This study successfully addressed this issue through the production of composite materials and self-cleaning membranes, providing beneficial strategies and solutions for membrane contamination problems.