Incorporation of 2D-biotene to polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane with superhydrophilicity and antifouling properties for removal of organic pollutants

Enhanced performance and anti-fouling properties of polyether sulfone (PES) membranes modified with pistachio shell-derived activated carbon (PSAC)@ZIF-8&ZIF-67 to remove dye contaminants

This study aims to improve the properties of polyether sulfone (PES) membranes by using an innovative composite filler. Pistachio shell-derived activated carbon (PSAC) was initially synthesized via chemical activation, followed by surface modification with ZIF-8 and ZIF-67. Subsequently, modified membranes with varying weight percentages of this composite were fabricated using the phase inversion method. The PSAC@ZIF-8&ZIF-67/PES membranes were characterized through FESEM, AFM, pore size, zeta potential, porosity, and water contact angle analyses. The incorporation of the composite in the membranes was confirmed through ATR-FTIR, XRD, and EDS mapping analyses. The finding indicated that adding 0.6 wt% of nanoparticles improved membrane hydrophilicity, increased surface charge, and enhanced porosity. Additionally, the mixed membranes exhibited reduced sedimentation and higher dye removal than unmodified membranes. The optimum amount of composite is determined as 0.6 wt%. At this condition, pure water flux (PWF) increased dramatically from 22.56 L/m2h to 96.26 L/m2h. The mixed matrix membrane demonstrated superior efficiency in removing malachite green (MG) (97 %) and crystal violet (CV) dyes (93 %) and achieved the highest recovery ratio of 61.9 %, indicating a more remarkable membrane ability to combat fouling. The developed membrane demonstrated enhanced hydrophilicity, dye removal efficiency, and antifouling properties, making it promising for environmental applications.

The antifouling mechanism and application of bio-inspired superwetting surfaces with effective antifouling performance

With the rapid development of industries, the issue of pollution on Earth has become increasingly severe. This has led to the deterioration of various surfaces, rendering them ineffective for their intended purposes. Examples of such surfaces include oil rigs, seawater intakes, and more. A variety of functional surface techniques have been created to address these issues, including superwetting surfaces, antifouling coatings, nano-polymer composite materials, etc. They primarily exploit the membrane's surface properties and hydration layer to improve the antifouling property. In recent years, biomimetic superwetting surfaces with non-toxic and environmental characteristics have garnered massive attention, greatly aiding in solving the problem of pollution. In this work, a detailed presentation of antifouling superwetting materials was made, including superhydrophobic surface, superhydrophilic surface, and superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic surface, along with the antifouling mechanisms. Then, the applications of the superwetting antifouling materials in antifouling domain were addressed in depth.