Modification and Characterization of Aromatic Polyamide Reverse Osmosis membranes Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Hydrogeochemistry Dept., Desert Research Center, El-Mataryia,

2 Chemistry Dept., Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar Univ.

3 Chemistry Dept. Faculty of Science, Ain Shams Univ. Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

 





SYNTHESIS, characterization and reverse osmosis (RO) performance of modified polyamide (PA) membranes were studied. The modification includes acrylic acid (AAc) grafting and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nano-particles doping using the phase inversion method and chemically initiated procedure by benzoyl peroxide (BPO). The synthesized membranes elucidated good chemical stability with improved swelling behavior. XRD, mechanical properties, thermal stability and the surface morphology using atomic force microscope-tapping mode (AFM-TM) were studied.
 
RO performance of synthesized membranes was evaluated. The water flux increases by the increase of LiCl, AAc and TiO2 concentration and applied pressure. While, the salt rejection (%) increases by the increase of AAc grafting (%), solvent evaporation and applied pressure. The synthesized PA-AAc-TiO2 nano-composite membrane possesses good acceptable RO performance suitable for water desalination.
             
  

Keywords