Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Membrane Modified with Ag/GO Composite for Water Purification System

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Environmental Engineering

Background:

• Developing advanced materials for water purification is crucial.
• Polymer nanofibers offer potential for filtration applications.
• Graphene oxide and silver nanoparticles can enhance material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare silver nanoparticle-modified graphene oxide (Ag/GO) composites.
• To fabricate Ag/GO-incorporated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers.
• To evaluate the performance of these nanofiber membranes for wastewater treatment.

Main Methods:

• Wet chemistry synthesis of Ag/GO using sodium borohydride and citric acid.
• Electrospinning of Ag/GO/PAN precursor solution to form nanofibers.
• Thermal treatment to create nanofiber membranes.
• Characterization of membrane properties including water flux, antibacterial activity, and anti-fouling performance.

Main Results:

• Ag/GO composite showed good dispersity in PAN solution.
• Ag/GO-PAN nanofibers were successfully formed with thinner fiber strands compared to controls.
• The Ag/GO-PAN nanofiber membrane exhibited a 30% higher water flux (390 LMH) than bare-PAN (300 LMH).
• The membrane demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against *Escherichia coli* and *Staphylococcus aureus*.
• The composite membrane showed superior anti-fouling properties in wastewater treatment.

Conclusions:

• A simple wet chemistry method reliably produced Ag/GO composites.
• Ag/GO incorporation into PAN nanofibers improved membrane properties for microfiltration.
• The developed nanofiber membranes show promise for efficient and effective wastewater treatment due to enhanced flux, antibacterial, and anti-fouling characteristics.