Separation of Diclofenac Sodium using Polysulfone Membranes Incorporated with Manganese Nanoparticles

Membranes are employed in various applications, including pharmaceutical waste separation, owing to their operability, high removal capacity, and cost-effectiveness. However, membrane fouling is an influential factor that reduces their efficiency. Since the addition of hydrophilic inorganic components has been shown to reduce membrane fouling, the present work focuses on manganese (MnO2, Mn2O3) nanoparticles (NP) in polysulfone (PSF) casting solutions to prepare mixed-matrix membranes for separating diclofenac (DCF) sodium from an aqueous solution. The membranes were characterized using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, thermogravimetric analysis, and by elucidating the internal membrane specific area, contact angle, and mechanical properties. The synthesized NP were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis. The concentrations of DCF sodium measured in the feed and filtrate solutions showed that the PSF/Mn2O3 membrane provided the highest permeate flux with good DCF removal of 98.4 %. Mechanical testing indicated that higher tensile strength was obtained when embedding MnO2 NP in the PSF membrane matrix. Contact angle measurements showed an improvement of the surface hydrophilicity when blending the PSF casting solution with MnO2 NP. The fouling test indicated that the PSF/Mn2O3 membrane provided the best antifouling properties. Thus, NP addition enhanced the porosity, antifouling characteristics, hydrophilicity, and water flux of the fabricated membranes.