Water softening using PES/ PPy thin-film nanocomposite membrane

Thin-film nanocomposite (TFNC) membrane was prepared using polymerization of pyrrole monomers on the PES ultrafiltration membrane, and cross-linkable acrylate-functionalized alumoxane nanoparticles were embedded into the thin-film during polymerization process. Characteristics and performance of membranes were assessed using SEM, WCA measurement, water permeability and Mg2+ removal tests. Addition of nanoparticles into the polymerization mixture led to the preparation of a membrane with thinner and smoother active layer, higher hydrophilicity as well as water permeability compared with thin-film composite (TFC) control membrane. Moreover, rejection of MgCl2 and MgSO4 salts using TFNC membrane improved considerably to 70 and 83%, respectively which proved the applicability of applied modification method for fabrication of thin-film nanocomposite membrane.

Keywords:

: Water softening , Thin-film nanocomposite membrane , Acrylate-alumoxane nanoparticles , Polypyrrole