title: Conjugation of silica nanoparticles with cellulose acetate/polyethylene glycol 300 membrane for reverse osmosis using MgSO4 solution.
abstract: Thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS) method was used to synthesize polymer matrix (PM) membranes for reverse osmosis from cellulose acetate/polyethylene glycol (CA/PEG300) conjugated with silica nanoparticles (SNPs). Experimental data showed that the conjugation of SNPs changed the surface properties as dense and asymmetric composite structure. The results were explicitly determined by the permeability flux and salt rejection efficiency of the PM-SNPs membranes. The effect of SNPs conjugation on MgSO4 salt rejection was more significant in magnitude than on permeation flux i.e. 2.38 L/m(2)h. FTIR verified that SNPs were successfully conjugated on the surface of PM membrane. DSC of PM-SNPs shows an improved Tg from 76.2 to 101.8 °C for PM and PM-S4 respectively. Thermal stability of the PM-SNPs membranes was observed by TGA which was significantly enhanced with the conjugation of SNPs. The micrographs of SEM and AFM showed the morphological changes and increase in the valley and ridges on membrane surface. Experimental data showed that the PM-S4 (0.4 wt% SNPs) membrane has maximum salt rejection capacity and was selected as an optimal membrane.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; 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: Faiza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jabeen
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: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
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: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; G. W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Karl I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Jacob
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; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009995:Osmosis; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; C005062:acetylcellulose; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002482:Cellulose
keywords: MgSO(4) salt solution; Polymer matrix; Reverse osmosis; Silica nanoparticles