Effect of superhydrophobic Co3O4 nanoparticles on the performance of PES flat sheet membrane for direct contact membrane distillation

Polyethersulfone (PES)/Co3O4 flat sheet composite membranes were prepared for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) by the phase inversion immersion precipitation process. The effect of blending superhydrophobic Co3O4 nanoparticles into the PES dope solution was studied. The concentration of the nanoparticles in the dope solution was varied at different wt.% (0.5 and 1wt.%). The prepared membranes were characterized by water contact angle and viscosity and DCMD at feed temperature of 27 °C. The salt rejection was greater than 99.8% when a 35 g/L NaCl solution was used as feed. With a vapour flux increase from 7.46 to 14.13 kg/m2 h when compared to the neat membrane, this nanocomposite membrane could be of great potential in the desalination process through DCMD.

Keywords:

Membrane distillation , Synthesis of Co3O4 nanoparticles , hydrophobicity