Three-channel capillary NF membrane with PAMAM-MWCNT-embedded inner polyamide skin layer for heavy metals removal.

ABSTRACT: Nanofiltration (NF) membranes with simultaneous high rejection of divalent cations and anions and high water permeation were designed and fabricated via interfacial polymerization (IP) on three-channel capillary ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. MWCNTs-COOH were modified with poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) and the as-synthesized MWCNTs-PAMAM were embedded into the inner polyamide skin-layer of the NF membranes by incorporating them into a piperazine (PIP) aqueous solution, followed by IP with trimesoyl chloride (TMC). The rigid MWCNTs and the dendrimer PAMAM molecules endow the as-fabricated NF membranes with high porosity and good hydrophilicity. Additionally, the -NH₂ groups of PAMAM introduce some positive sites into the polyamide layer. The as-prepared NF membranes with incorporated MWCNTs-PAMAM exhibit a pure water flux of 48.7 L m^-2 h^-1 and 92.6% and 88.5% rejection for Na₂SO₄ and MgCl₂, respectively, at 4 bar. Moreover, the NF membranes display high rejection for sulfates and metal cations, including heavy metal ions. The practicability of the membranes for mine-wastewater treatment was tested, and the membranes showed above 80% rejection of heavy metals and solution flux of about 30 L m^-2 h^-1. In addition, their separation performance and stability were satisfactory during the long-term run. The high rejection of the membranes for metal cations is ascribed to the positive sites offered by MWCNTs-PAMAM and the narrow membrane pores since both electrostatic repulsion and size exclusion play a role during membrane filtration. The good separation performance of the membranes for multivalent anions and heavy metal cations illustrates their potential for applications in heavy metal wastewater treatment.

SUBMITTER: Zhang HZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9084501 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature