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Novel Ultrafiltration Polyethersulfone Membranes Blended with Carrageenan
Saeed H Al Marri1, Yehia Manawi1, Simjo Simson1
1Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar.
Polymers
|January 25, 2025
Summary
Carrageenan (CAR) incorporation into polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes significantly enhances hydrophilicity, porosity, and fouling resistance. These novel PES/CAR membranes show improved performance for water treatment applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Developing advanced polymeric membranes is crucial for efficient water treatment.
- Existing ultrafiltration (UF) membranes often face challenges with fouling and limited flux.
- Natural polymers offer a sustainable route to enhance membrane properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize novel polyethersulfone (PES) membranes blended with carrageenan (CAR).
- To investigate the impact of CAR incorporation on membrane morphology, hydrophilicity, and antifouling properties.
- To evaluate the performance of these new membranes in water filtration applications.
Main Methods:
- Nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) method used for membrane fabrication.
- Varying concentrations of CAR (0.1-4.0 wt.%) were incorporated into PES casting solutions.
- Membrane characterization included SEM, AFM, contact angle, porosity, and zeta potential measurements.
- Filtration tests were conducted using bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions to assess fouling resistance.
Main Results:
- Carrageenan incorporation increased membrane hydrophilicity, porosity, pore size, and surface charge.
- PES/CAR membranes exhibited significantly reduced irreversible fouling (38%) and total fouling (32%) during BSA filtration.
- Flux recovery ratio improved by 20-40%, and mechanical properties enhanced by 1.5-fold compared to plain PES membranes.
- The bio-based solvent DMSO was utilized in the fabrication process.
Conclusions:
- Carrageenan is a promising additive for developing high-performance PES ultrafiltration membranes.
- The novel PES/CAR membranes demonstrate superior antifouling properties and mechanical strength.
- These findings support the use of PES/CAR membranes for advanced water treatment applications.
