title: Fabrication of tethered carbon nanotubes in cellulose acetate/polyethylene glycol-400 composite membranes for reverse osmosis.
abstract: In this study pristine multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were surface engineered (SE) in strong acidic medium by oxidation purification method to form SE-MWCNT. Five different amount of SE-MWCNT ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 wt% were thoroughly and uniformly dispersed in cellulose acetate/polyethylene glycol (CA/PEG400) polymer matrix during synthesis of membrane by dissolution casting method. The structural analysis, surface morphology and roughness was carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively, which showed that the dispersed SE-MWCNT was substantially tethered in CA/PEG400 polymer matrix membrane. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of membranes also suggested some improvement in thermal properties with the addition of SE-MWCNT. Finally, the performance of these membranes was assessed for suitability in drinking water treatment. The permeation flux and salt rejection were determined by using indigenously fabricated reverse osmosis pilot plant with 1000 ppm NaCl feed solution. The results showed that the tethered SE-MWCNT/CA/PEG400 polymer matrix membrane, with strong SE-MWCNTs/polymer matrix interaction, improved the salt rejection performance of the membrane with the salt rejection of 99.8% for the highest content of SE-MWCNT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan. Electronic address: aneela.pet.ceet@pu.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Aneela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabir
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shafiq
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Atif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Afsheen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarwar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (ICET), University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Rizwan
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Dilshad
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (ICET), University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shafeeq
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Taqi
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Zahid Butt
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tahir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jamil
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D018508:Water Purification
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D014867:Water; C005062:acetylcellulose; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D002482:Cellulose; C000595213:polyethylene glycol 400
keywords: Polymer matrix membrane; Surface engineered multiwalled carbon nanotubes; Tethering; Water purification