Enhanced antifouling properties of poly(ethersulfone) nano-composite membrane filled with nano-clay particles

The highly fouling characteristic of polymeric membranes such as polyethersulfone (PES) limits their application. Embedding the various loadings of hydrophilic nano-clay within the PES matrix used to enhance the antifouling properties of resultant nano-composite membranes was fabricated via phase inversion method. The membrane surface hydrophilicity and roughness were studied exactly through surface contact angle test and AFM images. The changes in membrane morphology as well as thermal stability upon inclusion of nano-clay were studied by SEM and TGA analysis. As the embedded nano-clay increases within the polymer matrix, the membrane hydrophilicity, porosity, thermal stability, pure water flux and BSA protein rejection were improved significantly. Furthermore, the antifouling characteristic of nano-composite membranes was evaluated by means of combined fouling mechanisms during the BSA solution filtration. The obtained results reveal that the BSA solution flux and BSA rejection were improved by adding nano-clay into PES up to the 3 wt%. The best BSA solution flux and BSA rejection were 32.3 L/m2 h and 73.7% which is attained by nano-composite membrane including 2 wt% of nano-clay. Furthermore, obtained outcomes showed that the embedding of nano-clay into PES, consequences to the remarkable enhancement of antifouling properties. Despite neat PES which was prone to fouling, the nano-composite membranes owing to their hydrophilic characteristic showed the stable sequentially BSA solution flux after each physical cleaning.