A comparison study on hydrophobic and hydrophilic-mixed matrix membranes for diethanolamine removal

This study systematically compares Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and Polysulfone (PSf) mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) modified with graphene oxide (GO) for diethanolamine (DEA) removal. PVDF and PSf exhibit distinct interactions with GO due to their inherent hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, respectively, influencing membrane performance. Membranes were fabricated using the phase inversion method and characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Contact Angle (CA) analysis. Performance testing revealed superior water permeability and DEA rejection for PSf/GO membranes. The PSf/GO-0.5 membrane achieved 91.04 DEA rejection and 47.45 L/m²·h·bar water permeability, outperforming PVDF/GO-0.5, which demonstrated 78.53 DEA rejection and 28.32 L/m²·h·bar water permeability. While GO improved membrane performance, excessive loading caused pore clogging, reducing effectiveness. This study highlights the potential of hydrophilic PSf/GO membranes for efficient amine removal, offering valuable insights for wastewater treatment applications. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.