Spraying synthesis and ion permeation in polyvinyl chloride/graphene oxide membranes

• Published in: Applied surface science 2019-09, Vol.489, p.962-975
• Main Authors: Godínez-García, Andrés, Vallejo-Arenas, Deusdedit Demetrio, Salinas-Rodríguez, Elizabeth, Gómez-Torres, Sergio A., Ruíz, Juan-Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Graphene oxide; Ion rejection; Permeability; PVC membranes
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.05.319

An inexpensive kind of paper-like (film) membranes was synthesized by a new simple spraying-coating method to reject ions from water. Polyvinyl Chloride/Graphene Oxide membranes resulted to be flexible films, their morphology, stability and permeation changed with GO concentration (0–40 GO wt%). Each GOM presented one smooth and one rough surface. Contact angle measurements confirmed a maximum perceptible difference of approximately 30° between both surfaces of the same GOM. Hydrophilicity and permeability of GOM were enhanced with the amount of GO as was revealed by Fourier-transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Permeation rejection was between 82 and 97%, in the same order or better than membranes synthetized with other methods. It was found that both the diffusion coefficient and tortuosity values were 2 × 10−7 cm2 s−1 and 14, respectively, which are in the range of those reported for ion transport within a nanoporous medium with high tortuosity. These paper-like films could be cost – effective candidates for ion rejection due to its ease of fabrication at low cost and long-term stability under laboratory conditions. [Display omitted] •“PVC/GO membranes were formed using a spraying synthesis method”.•“GO content modifies morphology and texture of PVC/GO membranes”.•“GO content modifies the hydrophilicity of PVC”.•“Hydrophilicity and permeability depend on the GO content in PVC/OG membranes”.