Enhancing the permeability and antifouling properties of cellulose acetate ultrafiltration membrane by incorporation of ZnO@graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposite

Biomass-Derived Cellulose Acetate Membranes Modified with TiO2/Graphene Oxide for Oil-In-Water Emulsion Treatment

Considering the environmental impact and health risks caused by oily wastewater in the petrochemical industry, it is crucial to develop more efficient separation techniques than traditional methods, such as membrane separation, for treating stable emulsions enriched with natural surfactants. This study investigated the preparation of dense cellulose acetate membranes from a low-cost biomass precursor (Luffa cylindrica) and their modification with graphene oxide (GO) and TiO2 nanoparticles, aiming to obtain a polymeric nanocomposite with good flux characteristics and selectivity for the treatment of oil/water emulsions. The materials obtained were characterized using techniques such as X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy, along with optical and scanning electron microscopy, among others. The membranes were prepared by the casting technique and modified with the above-mentioned nanostructured materials. Flux analyses with petroleum emulsion revealed that membranes modified with GO and TiO2 nanoparticles showed significant improvements in antifouling resistance compared to unmodified membranes. These enhanced properties highlight the potential of modified cellulose acetate membranes for application in industrial wastewater treatment.

Performance improvement of polyethersulfone membranes with Ti3AlCN MAX phase in the treatment of organic and inorganic pollutants

In this work, the hydrophobic polyethersulfone (PES) membrane was modified by incorporating Ti3AlCN MAX phase. Synthesis of Ti3AlCN MAX phase was performed using the reactive sintering method. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed a 3D compressed layered morphology for the synthesized MAX phase. The Ti3AlCN MAX phase was added to the casting solution, and the mixed-matrix membranes were fabricated by the non-solvent induced phase inversion method. The performance and antifouling features of bare and modified membranes were explored by pure water flux, flux recovery ratio (FRR), and fouling resistance parameters. Through the modification of membranes by introducing the Ti3AlCN MAX phase, the enhancement of these features was observed, in which the membrane containing 1 wt% of MAX phase showed 17.7 L/m2.h.bar of permeability and 98.6% for FRR. Also, the separation efficiency of all membranes was evaluated by rejecting organic and inorganic pollutants. The Ti3AlCN MAX membranes could reject 96%, 95%, and 88% of reactive blue 50, Rose Bengal, and azithromycin antibiotics, respectively, as well as 98%, 80%, 86%, and 36% of Pb2+, As5+, Na2SO4, and NaCl, respectively. Finally, the outcomes indicated the Ti3AlCN MAX phase was an excellent and efficient novel additive for modifying the PES membrane.

β-cyclodextrin modified GO ultrafiltration membranes with enhanced antifouling property for water purification

The study investigated the influence of additives on the fabrication of mixed matrix membranes comprising polyethersulfone (PES), with a specific focus on hydrophilicity, flux, morphology, and antifouling properties. Carboxymethyl modified β-cyclodextrin (CMβ-CD) was used to enhance the dispersion and hydrophilicity of graphene oxide (GO), leading to the formation of a hydrophilic and stable composite nanoparticle (CMCD@GO). The hydrophilicity (WCA <51.5°) and water flux (32.6 L.m-2.h-1) of the modified PES membranes (MCDGO-x) were improved by the incorporation of CMCD@GO nanoparticles, while that of PES membrane was 79.7° and 10.6 L.m-2.h-1. The rate of backscattered light intensity (ΔBS) of MCDGO-x suspensions remains stable, suggesting stable dispersion of CMCD@GO in organic solvents. Compared to the bare PES membrane, the MCDGO-x membrane exhibits a thinner active layer and a finger-like structure. The MCDGO-x membrane exhibited excellent naphthenic acids (NAs) rejection (> 93.2%) due to reduced roughness and higher hydrophilicity, while the GO-modified PES membrane (MGO-5) exhibited lower NAs rejection (87.2%). Furthermore, the MCDGO-5 membrane showed higher flux recovery ratio (FRR) of 79.3% compared to MGO-5 membrane (68.5%) after three cycles, indicating the antifouling performance of MCDGO-x for NAs was significantly improved. The combination of CMβ-CD and GO enhance the flux and antifouling properties of PES ultrafiltration membranes, suggesting significant potential for applications in the purification of oil sands process water and the treatment of oily wastewater.

Development and Study of Novel Ultrafiltration Membranes Based on Cellulose Acetate

Recently, increasing attention of researchers in the field of membrane technology has been paid to the development of membranes based on biopolymers. One of the well-proven polymers for the development of porous membranes is cellulose acetate (CA). This paper is devoted to the study of the influence of different parameters on ultrafiltration CA membrane formation and their transport properties, such as the variation in coagulation bath temperature, membrane shrinkage (post-treatment at 80 °C), introduction to casting CA solution of polymers (polyethylene glycol (PEG), polysulfone (PS), and Pluronic F127 (PL)) and carbon nanoparticles (SWCNTs, MWCNTs, GO, and C60). The structural and physicochemical properties of developed membranes were studied by scanning electron and atomic force microscopies, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. The transport properties of developed CA-based membranes were evaluated in ultrafiltration of bovine serum albumin (BSA), dextran 110 and PVP K-90. All developed membranes rejected 90% compounds with a molecular weight from ~270,000 g/mol. It was shown that the combination of modifications (addition of PEG, PS, PL, PS-PL, and 0.5 wt% C60) led to an increase in the fluxes and BSA rejection coefficients with slight decrease in the flux recovery ratio. These changes were due to an increased macrovoid number, formation of a more open porous structure and/or thinner top selective, and decreased surface roughness and hydrophobization during C60 modification of blend membranes. Optimal transport properties were found for CA-PEG+C60 (the highest water-394 L/(m2h) and BSA-212 L/(m2h) fluxes) and CA-PS+C60 (maximal rejection coefficient of BSA-59%) membranes.

Improvement of salt rejection efficiency of cellulose acetate membrane through modification by poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-functionalized graphene oxide

In this work, the grafting method using graphene oxide (GO) - poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (PAMAM) nanocomposite as filler for the functionalization of cellulose acetate membrane is reported. Here, cellulose acetate membrane incorporated by nanocomposite in the polymer solution was prepared through the phase inversion technique. The effect of embedding GO-PAMAM on the characterization properties and rejection performance was studied. The results of zeta potential, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle measurements, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) established successful modification. Based on the data found, adding the filler improves membrane properties. Loading of 1.00 wt% of GO/PAMAM was found to be the optimized amount of the filler in the membrane processing with the highest porosity (74%), antifouling behavior (88%), reversible fouling ratio (45.71%), and the least contact angle (∼40°). Hence, the rejection and permeability tests of the prepared membrane were examined by Na2SO4 (98.40%), NaCl (52%), and MgCl2 (57%) solutions through a lab dead-end cell. According to the results, the value of salt rejection established more permeability and rejection than neat cellulose acetate membrane.

Fabrication of hierarchical porous ethyl cellulose fibrous membrane by electro-centrifugal spinning for drug delivery systems with excellent integrated properties

Drug delivery systems (DDSs) based on micro-and nano- fibrous membrane have been developed for decades, in which great attention has been focused on achieving controlled drug release. However, the study on the integrated performance of these drug-loaded membranes in the use of in-vitro drug delivery dressing is lacking, as clinical medication also needs consideration from the perspectives of wound safety and patient convenience. Herein, a trilayered hierarchical porous ethyl cellulose (EC) fibrous membrane based DDS (EC-DDS) was developed by electro-centrifugal spinning. Significantly, the hierarchical porous structure of the EC-DDSs with high specific surface area (34.3 m²g^-1) and abundant long-regulative micro-and nano- channels demonstrated its merits in improving the hydrophobicity (long-term splash resistance (CA > 130°) and prolonging the drug release (the release time of ~80 % tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) prolonged from 10 min to 24 h). Meanwhile, the trilayered EC-DDS also revealed excellent biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, air permeability, moisture permeability, water absorption capacity, mechanical strength, and flexibility. With these excellent integrated features, the EC-DDS could prevent external fluids, avoid infection, and provide comfort. Furthermore, this work also provides a new guide for the high-efficiency fabrication of porous fibrous membranes.

Membrane Fabrication and Modification by Atomic Layer Deposition: Processes and Applications in Water Treatment and Gas Separation

Membrane-based separation processes are part of most water purification plants worldwide. Industrial separation applications, primarily water purification and gas separation, can be improved with novel membranes or modification to existing ones. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is an emerging technique that is proposed to upgrade certain kinds of membranes independent of their chemistry and morphology. ALD deposits thin, defect-free, angstrom-scale, and uniform coating layers on a substrate's surface by reacting with gaseous precursors. The surface-modifying effects of ALD are described in the present review, followed by a description of various types of inorganic and organic barrier films and how these can be used in combination with ALD. The role of ALD in membrane fabrication and modification is categorized into different membrane-based groups according to the treated medium, i.e., water or gas. In all membrane types, the ALD-based direct deposition of inorganic materials, mainly metal oxides, on the membrane surface can improve antifouling, selectivity, permeability, and hydrophilicity. Therefore, the ALD technique can broaden the applications of membranes to the treatment of emerging contaminants in water and air. Finally, the advancement, limitations, and challenges of ALD-based membrane fabrication and modification are compared to provide a comprehensive guideline for developing next-generation membranes with improved filtration and separation performance.

Next-generation ultrafiltration membranes: A review of material design, properties, recent progress, and challenges

Membrane technology utilizing ultrafiltration (UF) processes has emerged as the most widely used and cost-effective simple process in many industrial applications. The industries like textiles and petroleum refining are promptly required membrane based UF processes to alleviate the potential environmental threat caused by the generation of various wastewater. At the same time, major limitations such as material selection as well as fouling behavior challenge the overall performance of UF membranes, particularly in wastewater treatment. Therefore, a complete discussion on material design with structural property relation and separation performance of UF membranes is always exciting. This state-of-the-art review has exclusively focused on the development of UF membranes, the material design, properties, progress in separation processes, and critical challenges. So far, most of the review articles have examined the UF membrane processes through a selected track of paving typical materials and their limited applications. In contrast, in this review, we have exclusively aimed at comprehensive research from material selection and fabrication methods to all the possible applications of UF membranes, giving more attention and theoretical understanding to the complete development of high-performance UF systems. We have discussed the methodical engineering behind the development of UF membranes regardless of their materials and fabrication mechanisms. Identifying the utility of UF membrane systems in various applications, as well as their mode of separation processes, has been well discussed. Overall, the current review conveys the knowledge of the present-day significance of UF membranes together with their future prospective opportunities whilst overcoming known difficulties in many potential applications.

Preparation of S-Scheme g-C3N4/ZnO Heterojunction Composite for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Destruction of Refractory Organic Pollutant

In this study, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based ZnO heterostructure was synthesized using a facile calcination method with urea and zinc nitrate hexahydrate as the initiators. According to the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images, spherical ZnO particles can be seen along the g-C3N4 nanosheets. Additionally, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals the successful synthesis of the g-C3N4/ZnO. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized catalyst was tested for the decolorization of crystal violet (CV) as an organic refractory contaminant. The impacts of ZnO molar ratio, catalyst amount, CV concentration, and H2O2 concentration on CV degradation efficiency were investigated. The obtained outcomes conveyed that the ZnO molar ratio in the g-C3N4 played a prominent role in the degradation efficiency, in which the degradation efficiency reached 95.9% in the presence of 0.05 mmol of ZnO and 0.10 g/L of the catalyst in 10 mg/L of CV through 120 min under UV irradiation. Bare g-C3N4 was also tested for dye decolorization, and a 76.4% dye removal efficiency was obtained. The g-C3N4/ZnO was also tested for adsorption, and a 32.3% adsorption efficiency was obtained. Photocatalysis, in comparison to adsorption, had a dominant role in the decolorization of CV. Lastly, the results depicted no significant decrement in the CV degradation efficiency in the presence of the g-C3N4/ZnO photocatalyst after five consecutive runs.

Ganzoury M, Zhang N, de Lannoy CF. Nanocomposite Polymeric Membranes for Organic Micropollutant Removal: A Critical Review

The prevalence of organic micropollutants (OMPs) and their persistence in water supplies have raised serious concerns for drinking water safety and public health. Conventional water treatment technologies, including adsorption and biological treatment, are known to be insufficient in treating OMPs and have demonstrated poor selectivity toward a wide range of OMPs. Pressure-driven membrane filtration has the potential to remove many OMPs detected in water with high selectivity as a membrane's molecular weight cutoff (MWCO), surface charge, and hydrophilicity can be easily tailored to a targeted OMP's size, charge and octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow). Over the past 10 years, polymeric (nano)composite microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), and nanofiltration (NF) membranes have been extensively synthesized and studied for their ability to remove OMPs. This review discusses the fate and transport of emerging OMPs in water, an assessment of conventional membrane-based technologies (NF, reverse osmosis (RO), forward osmosis (FO), membrane distillation (MD) and UF membrane-based hybrid processes) for their removal, and a comparison to the state-of-the-art nanoenabled membranes with enhanced selectivity toward specific OMPs in water. Nanoenabled membranes for OMP treatment are further discussed with respect to their permeabilities, enhanced properties, limitations, and future improvements.

Nanomaterials in membrane bioreactors: Recent progresses, challenges, and potentials

The use of nanomaterials (NMs) in the fabrication and modification of membranes as well as the coupling of nanomaterial-based processes with membrane processes have been attracted many researchers today. The NMs due to a wide range of types, different chemistry, the possibility of various kinds of functionality, different properties like antibacterial activity, hydrophilicity, and large surface area were applied to enhance the membrane properties. In the membrane bioreactors (MBRs) as a highly successful process of membrane technology in wastewater treatment, the NMs have been applied for improving the efficiency of MBR process. This review assessed the application of NMs both as the modifiers of membrane and as the effective part of hybrid techniques with MBR system for wastewater treatment. The efficiency of NMs blended membranes in the MBR process has been reviewed in terms of antifouling and antibacterial improvement and removal performance of the pollutants. Novel kinds of NMs were recognized and discussed based on their properties and advantages. The NMs-based photocatalytic and electrochemical processes integrated with MBR were reviewed with their benefits and drawbacks. In addition, the effect of the presence of mobilized NPs in the sludge on MBR performance was surveyed. As a result of this review, it can be concluded that nanomaterials generally improve MBR performance. The high flux and antifouling properties can be obtained by adding nanomaterials with hydrophilic and antibacterial properties to the membrane, and further studies are required for photocatalytic NMs applications. In addition, this review shows that the low amounts of NMs in the membrane structure could have an effective influence on the MBR process. Besides, since many studies in the literature are carried out at the laboratory scale, it is thought that pilot and real-scale studies should be carried out to obtain more reliable data.

Enhanced oil removal from a real polymer production plant by cellulose nanocrystals-serine incorporated polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane

As discharging oily wastewater from industries to the environment is a potential threat for the aquatic ecosystem, in this research, oil removal from a real case of Kermanshah polymer production plant wastewater was investigated. The focus of this study was on improving the oil rejection performance of polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membrane due to adding cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and modified CNC with serine amino acid (CNC-Ser) in PES mix matrix. From the results, the membranes embedded with CNC-Ser showed better performance in terms of water flux, flux recovery ratio, and oil rejection (higher than 97%) compared to the modified membranes with CNC. The lowest water contact angle (41.37°), smoother surface, and higher negative surface potential (- 24 mV) were achieved for the optimum loading of CNC-Ser. Besides, long-term performance of the membranes with optimum loading of CNC and CNC-Ser were compared in both dead-end and cross-flow setups.

Different metal-doped ZnS quantum dots photocatalysts for enhancing the permeability and antifouling performances of polysulfone membranes with and without UV irradiation

In this study, the effect of three different transition metal ion dopants (Mn²⁺, Fe^2+, and Co²⁺) on the characteristics of zinc sulfide (ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) was investigated and the obtained QDs photocatalysts were applied for the modification of polysulfone (PSf) mixed matrix membranes to reduce membrane fouling. The synthesized QDs and fabricated membranes were fully identified with SEM, TEM, AFM, FTIR analyses, and also underwent porosity and contact angle tests. Flux recovery ratios (FRR) significantly increased from 69.8% (bare) to 85.0% (1% Fe-doped ZnS QDs) after modification of membranes with metal-doped QDs. The contact angles of the prepared membranes decreased with doping of dissimilar metals, therefore hydrophilicity increased, and reversible/non-reversible blockages were improved. Besides, the use of UV irradiation during the washing of the membranes increased the FRR of the photocatalytic activated membranes to 91.2%. Compared to the bare PSf membrane in dye solution filtration, 1% Fe-doped ZnS QDs membrane yielded twice as much flux and 15% higher FRR results. Therefore, the results proved that metal-doped QDs can be used in the modification of PSf membranes with high efficiency.

Cellulose acetate in fabrication of polymeric membranes: A review

Developing biodegradable polymers to fabricate filtration membranes is one of the main challenges of membrane science and technology. Cellulose acetate (CA) membranes, due to their excellent film-forming property, high chemical and mechanical stability, high hydrophilicity, eco-friendly, and suitable cost, are extensively used in water and wastewater treatment, gas separation, and energy generation purposes. The CA is one of the first materials used to fabricate filtration membranes. However, in the last decade, the possibility of modification of CA to improve permeability and stability has attracted the researcher's attention again. This review is focused on the properties of cellulose derivatives and especially CA membranes in the fabrication of polymeric separation membranes in various applications such as filtration, gas separation, adsorption, and ion exchange membranes. Firstly, a brief introduction of CA properties and used molecular weights in the fabrication of membranes will be presented. After that, different configurations of CA membranes will be outlined, and the performance of CA membranes in several applications and configurations as the main polymer and as an additive in the fabrication of other polymer-based membranes will be discussed.

Graphene Oxide Modified Polyamide 66 Ultrafiltration Membranes with Enhanced Anti-Fouling Performance

Improving the contamination resistance of membranes is one of the most effective ways to address the short service life of membranes. While preparing the membrane system structure, doping nanoparticles into the polymer matrix is beneficial to the preparation of high-performance membranes. To develop a new structure for membrane contamination protection, in this study, a novel asymmetric polyamide 66 composite ultrafiltration (UF) membrane was fabricated by incorporating different masses (ranging from zero to 0.5 wt.%) of graphene oxide (GO) into the polyamide 66 microporous substrate, using formic acid and propylene carbonate as solvents. The effects of GO doping on the morphology, microporous structure and surface of ultrafiltration membranes were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), integrated thermal analysis (DSC) and contact angle (CA). In addition, pure water flux, bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection and contamination resistance were measured to evaluate the filtration performance of different membranes. The overall performance of all the modified membranes was improved compared to pure membranes. The results of contact angle and permeation experiments showed that the addition of GO improved the hydrophilicity of the membrane, but reduced the permeability of the membrane. The minimum flux was only 3.5 L/m2·h, but the rejection rate was 92.5%. Most noteworthy was the fact that GO further enhanced the anti-pollution performance of the membranes and achieved a remarkable performance of 91.32% when the GO content was 0.5 wt.%, which was 1.36 times higher than that of the pure membrane. Therefore, optimal performance was achieved. Furthermore, the UF membrane made of composite substrate offers a promising solution for the development of long-life ultrafiltration membranes with better stability, high-cost efficiency and adequate chemical durability.

Surface-engineered polyethersulfone membranes with inherent Fe-Mn bimetallic oxides for improved permeability and antifouling capability

In recent years, bimetallic oxide nanoparticles have garnered significant attention owing to their salient advantages over monometallic nanoparticles. In this study, Fe₂O₃-Mn₂O₃ nanoparticles were synthesized and used as nanomodifiers for polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes. A NIPS was used to fabricate asymmetric membranes. The effect of nanoparticle concentration (0-1 wt.%) on the morphology, roughness, wettability, porosity, permeability, and protein filtration performance of the membranes was investigated. The membrane containing 0.25 wt% nanoparticles exhibited the lowest water contact angle (67°) and surface roughness (10.4 ± 2.8 nm) compared to the other membranes. Moreover, this membrane exhibited the highest porosity (74%) and the highest pure water flux (398 L/m² h), which was 16% and 1.9 times higher than that of the pristine PES membrane. The modified PES membranes showed an improved antifouling ability, especially against irreversible fouling. Bovine serum albumin protein-based dynamic five-cycle filtration tests showed a maximum flux recovery ratio of 77% (cycle-1), 67% (cycle-2), and 65.8% (cycle-5) for the PES membrane containing 0.25 wt% nanoparticles. Overall, the biphasic Fe₂O₃-Mn₂O₃ nanoparticles were found to be an effective nanomodifier for improving the permeability and antifouling ability of PES membranes in protein separation and water treatment applications.

Enhanced water flux and bacterial resistance in cellulose acetate membranes with quaternary ammoniumpropylated polysilsesquioxane

An enhanced water flux and anti-fouling nanocomposite ultrafiltration membrane based on quaternary ammoniumpropylated polysilsesquioxane (QAPS)/cellulose acetate (QAPS@CA) was fabricated by in situ sol-gel processing via phase inversion followed by quaternization with methyl iodide (CH₃I). Membrane characterizations were performed based on the contact angle, FTIR, SEM, and TGA properties. Membrane separation performance was assessed in terms of pure water flux, rejection, and fouling resistance. The 7%QAPS@CA nanocomposite membrane showed an increased wettability (46.6° water contact angle), water uptake (113%) and a high pure water permeability of ∼370 L m^-2 h^-1 bar^-1. Furthermore, the 7%QAPS@CA nanocomposite membrane exhibited excellent bactericidal properties (∼97.5% growth inhibition) against Escherichia coli (E. coli) compared to the bare CA membrane (0% growth inhibition). The 7%QAPS@CA nanocomposite membrane can be recommended for water treatment and biomedical applications.

CoFe2O4 nanoparticles decorated onto graphene oxide and graphitic carbon nitride layers as a separable catalyst for ultrasound-assisted photocatalytic degradation of Bisphenol-A

The advanced oxidation process (AOP) through ultrasound-assisted photocatalytic degradation has attracted much attention in removing emerging contaminants. Herein, CoFe₂O₄-GO and CoFe₂O₄-g-C₃N₄ nanocomposites were synthesized using the ultrasound-assisted co-precipitation method. TEM, XRD, XPS, EDS, SEM, and FT-IR techniques characterized the structural, morphological, and chemical properties of the synthesized nanocomposites. The analyses showed that CoFe₂O₄ structure was nano-sized and distributed more homogeneously in graphene oxide (GO) layers with oxygenated functional groups than graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄). While the efficiency of composite catalysts, as photocatalysts, for degradation of bisphenol-A (BPA) was low in the visible region in the presence of persulfate, their catalytic efficacy was higher with sonolytic activation. The addition of persulfate as an oxidant remarkably enhanced the target pollutant degradation and TOC removal of BPA solution. Both composite catalysts showed 100 % BPA removal with the synergistic effect of visible region photocatalytic oxidation and sonocatalytic oxidation in the presence of persulfate at pH 6.8. In ultrasound-assisted photocatalytic oxidation of BPA, the highest mineralization efficiencies were obtained at 2 h treatment time, pH 6.8, 16 mM PS, catalyst dosages of 0.1 g/L CoFe₂O₄-GO, and 0.4 g/L CoFe₂O₄-g-C₃N₄ as 62 % and 55 %, respectively. An effective catalyst was obtained by reducing e^-/h⁺ recombination and charge transfer resistance by decorating the GO layers with CoFe₂O₄.

Synthesis and Characterization of Blended Cellulose Acetate Membranes

The casting and preparation of ultrafiltration ZnO modified cellulose acetate membrane (CA/ZnO) were investigated in this work. CA membranes were fabricated by phase inversion using dimethylformamide (DMF) as a solvent and ZnO as nanostructures materials. Ultrafiltration (UF) performance, mechanical stability, morphology, contact angle, and porosity were evaluated on both CA- and ZnO-modified CA samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine the morphology of the membranes, showing different pore sizes either on rough surfaces and cross-sections of the samples, an asymmetric structure and ultra-scale pores with an average pore radius 0.0261 to 0.045 µm. Contact angle measurements showed the highest hydrophobicity values for the samples with no ZnO addition, ranging between 48° and 82.7° on their airside. The permeability values decreased with the increasing CA concentration in the casting solution, as expected; however, ZnO-modified membranes produced lower flux than the pure CA ones. Nevertheless, ZnO modified CA membranes have higher surface pore size, pore density and porosity, and improved surface hydrophilicity compared with pure CA membranes. The results indicated that the incorporated nano-ZnO tends to limit the packing of the polymer chains onto the membrane structure while showing antifouling properties leading to better hydrophilicity and permeation with consistent UF applications.