Preparation, characterization and application of GO-TiO2/PVC mixed matrix membranes for improvement in performance

Poly vinyl chloride (PVC) membranes are known for their low cost as well as good mechanical, thermal and chemical stability. However, the inherent hydrophobicity of the PVC material leads to fouling of membrane. Thus, in this paper, we have attempted to use GO-TiO2 nanosheets-blended PVC membranes. GO-TiO2 nanosheets are blended in the casting solution containing PVC and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Filtration experiments show that blending of GO-TiO2 sheets enhanced the permeate flux while keeping the rejection of humic acid almost same. The results are supported by characterizations like SEM, EDX, TEM, AFM, XRD and contact angle measurements. (C) 2017 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.