Enhanced hydrophilicity and salt rejection study of graphene oxide-polysulfone mixed matrix membrane

Graphene oxide (GO) dispersed polysulfone (PSf) mixed matrix membranes were prepared by wet phase inversion method. The morphology of membranes was studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. The variation in hydrophilicity was studied by measuring surface wettability and water swelling experiments. The performance of membranes in terms of pure water flux and salt rejection was studied. SEM images depict enhanced macrovoids, while the contact angle data reveals that, GO incorporated membrane surface is moderately hydrophilic. Membranes exhibited improved salt rejection after GO doping. Membrane with 2000 ppm GO loading has exhibited maximum of 72% Na2SO4 rejection at 4 bar applied pressure. The salt rejection seems to depend on pH of the feed solution and it has been witnessed that the salt rejection showed an increasing trend with increase in the pH. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.