Hydrophilic nanoclay-polyaniline decorated membrane with improved permeability for separation of endocrine-disrupting  chemical and fitness of fouling using model

• Published in: Journal of industrial and engineering chemistry (Seoul, Korea) 2022, 110(0), , pp.234-247
• Main Authors: Elakkiya, S., Arthanareeswaran, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bentonite-polyaninline; Emerging contaminant; Hermia model; Membrane hydrophilicity; Surface functional groups; 화학공학
• ISSN: 1226-086X; 1876-794X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2022.02.058

[Display omitted] •Hydrophilic Ben-PANI and C15A-PANI in membrane for BPA removal.•PES MMMs decorated with nanoclay-PANI were fabricated.•Surface functional property of Ben-PANI within MMM promotes BPA removal.•Membrane fouling mechanisms were investigated using the Hermia model. Bisphenol A (BPA) is identified endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) that is detected in water resources. The intrinsic properties of nanoclays favor to stimulate the combination of sieving and electrostatic interaction mechanisms during the removal of BPA using membrane separation. Herein, the synthesised hydrophilic bentonite-polyaniline (B-PANI) and cloisite 15A-polyaniline (C-PANI) was loaded individually into polyethersulfone (PES) for fabricating mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). The PANI nanoclays was presented in both surface layer and inside pores of nanocomposite membranes at 0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt% loading. The results showed the enhancement in surface hydrophilicity for all the membranes in loading of PANI nanoclays. The presence of B-PANI influenced the higher water flux of 82.2 Lm-2h−1 at 1.5 wt%, indicating hydrophilic property. YBP2 MMM with 1 wt% B-PAN depicted higher BPA rejection efficiency of 77.2 %. B-PANI bestow the MMM with hydroxyl and amine functional groups which retard the transport of hydrophobic BPA through the hydrophilic MMM. Further, higher BPA rejection was ascribed to the electrostatic repulsion between MMM surface and BPA. The fouling mechanism was identified by Hermia model that represents YBP2 membrane revealed cake filtration fouling model with reversible fouling. This work highlights the feasibility of B-PANI in MMM for BPA removal from water.