Photocatalytic TiO2 incorporated PVDF-co-HFP UV-cleaning mixed matrix membranes for effective removal of dyes from synthetic wastewater system via membrane distillation

Abstract

View PDF Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering Volume 9, Issue 5, October 2021, 105904 Photocatalytic TiO2 incorporated PVDF-co-HFP UV-cleaning mixed matrix membranes for effective removal of dyes from synthetic wastewater system via membrane distillation Author links open overlay panelAnshulYadavacPreranaSharmaacAsit BaranPandabcVinod KumarShahiac a Membrane Science and Separation Technology Division, CSIR-Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Gijubhai Badheka Marg, Bhavnagar 364002, India b Advanced Materials and Processes Division, CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur 831007, India c Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India Received 9 March 2021, Revised 15 June 2021, Accepted 17 June 2021, Available online 24 June 2021. Editor: Despo Kassinos crossmark-logo https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105904 Get rights and content Highlights • UV-cleaning PVDF-co-HFP/TiO2 mixed matrix membrane for DCMD. • Controllable large-scale synthesis of porous TiO2 sheets by spray drying process. • Effective removal of MB and CR dye from wastewater system by membrane distillation. • High performance DCMD for five days without significant flux and rejection decline. Abstract We report membranes with UV-cleaning properties by incorporating photocatalytic porous TiO2 sheets (PTS) (0–5 wt%) in the PVDF-co-HFP matrix. PTS were synthesized using controllable large-scale synthesis protocols by spray drying followed by calcination. These membranes were assessed for the removal of Congo red (CR) and methylene blue (MB) from synthetic textile industry wastewater system (CR: 100 mg l−1 + MB: 100 mg l−1 + 4% NaCl) via direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) configuration and their UV-cleaning properties. The PTS were characterized by FE-SEM, TEM and different spectral techniques, while membranes were assessed by surface morphology (FE-SEM, AFM), thermal stability, hydrophobicity, permeate flux, and dye rejection performance. The surface morphology study of PTS revealed its micro-sized sheet with the porous surface. With increased PTS concentration in the membrane matrix, the flux and dye rejection of mixed matrix membranes improved. Suitably optimized PT3 (3 wt% PTS in PVDF-co-HFP matrix) membrane showed ~100% dye removal efficiency (MB and CR) and 6.1 kg m−2 h−1 vapour flux. Long run (5 days) DCMD experiments showed >91% flux recovery ratio (FRR) after UV-cleaning. This study suggests the suitability of the prepared membranes to treat textile wastewater and their UV-cleaning properties.