Development of nanocomposite membranes based on sulfated β-cyclodextrin/glutaraldehyde with magnetically recoverable magnetite-carbon dot hybrid nanoparticles for water vapor dehumidification

• Published in: Journal of environmental chemical engineering 2022-02, Vol.10 (1), p.107042, Article 107042
• Main Authors: Shirke, Yogita M., Abou-Elanwar, Ali M., Kwon, Soon Jin, Choi, Won-Kil, Hong, Seong Uk, Lee, Hyung Keun, Jeon, Jae-Deok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Magnetically recoverable; Magnetite-carbon dot hybrid nanoparticles; Thin film nanocomposite membrane; Water vapor dehumidification
• ISSN: 2213-3437; 2213-3437
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2021.107042

Here, we report sulfated β-cyclodextrin/glutaraldehyde-coated (sb-CD/GA) TFN membranes with highly magnetically recoverable magnetite-carbon dot hybrid nanoparticles (CDs-Fe3O4) realized by enhancing the water vapor dehumidification. The Fe3O4–CD hybrid NPs are successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method and incorporated into sulfated-β-cyclodextrin/glutaraldehyde (sb-CD/GA)-based thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes. Sb-CD is also very hydrophilic due to the presence of several reactive sites, specifically sulfonic acid groups, on its external surface. Therefore, the addition of hydrophilic sb-CD to the composite membranes facilitates the transport of water vapor. Moreover, one characteristic of Fe3O4–CDs particles is that they have a variety of hydrophilic groups which allow them to absorb more water vapor at a relatively rapid rate, with the addition of nanoparticles in the TFN membranes increasing the water vapor permeation due to the enhanced sorption sites and surface area provided by the nanoparticles. According to experimental results, the addition of Fe3O4–CDs to the sb-CD/GA -coated TFN membrane improves the water vapor permeance from 1376 M(0) to 2232 GPU M(0.3) wt% Fe3O4–CDs loading, improving the water vapor/N2 selectivity as well from 105 M(0) to 724 (M(0.3) at a relative humidity rate of 70%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a sb-CD/GA-coated TFN membrane incorporated with highly functionalized Fe3O4–CDs to enhance water vapor dehumidification. [Display omitted] •Magnetically recoverable Fe3O4–CD hybrids NPs were synthesized.•The saturation magnetization of Fe3O4–CD hybrid NPs was 50.6 emu/g.•sb-CD/GA based nanocomposite membranes were prepared.•The M(0.3) membrane with 0.3w/w% of Fe3O4–CD hybrid NPs showed highest performance.