Preparation, characterization and performance of polyethersulfone/teraoctylphoshponium bromide (PES/TOPBr) nanocomposite ultrafiltration membrane in protein separation

Abstract

Ultrafiltration is a process which has been employed in many different industries to separate micro-solutes from macromolecules and to polish waste water. The hydrophilicity, porosity and mechanical strength of UF membrane are significant in membrane separation process. Polyethersulfone is a hydrophobic polymer that is prone to membrane fouling especially in protein separations. It is well known that increasing the hydrophilicity of membrane will decrease the hydrophobicity of membranes. Thus, the hybrid membrane between polyethersulfone (PES) and tetraoctylphosphonium bromide (TOPBr) is selected as a way to improve the hydrophilicity as well as thermal and mechanical properties of the native membrane. The objectives of this study are to prepare and characterize PES/TOPBr nanocomposite membrane at different modified nanoclay content by means of functional groups, morphology, thermal, mechanical, water content, porosity, pure water flux and protein separation test which best loading content of TOPBr is identified. The membrane with the best loading content is then analyzed based on protein separation affected by pH and ionic strength. fTIR and XRD results revealed the formation of exfoliated clay mineral layers in PES matrix.