Surface modification of polyamide thin film composite membrane by coating of titanium dioxide nanoparticles

• Main Authors: Thu Hong Anh Ngo, Dung The Nguyen, Khai Dinh Do, Thu Thi Minh Nguyen, Shinsuke Mori, Dung Thi Tran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2016-12-01
• Series: Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices
• Subjects: Polyamide thin film composite membrane; TiO2 nanoparticles; Surface coating; Hydrophilicity; Separation performance; Antifouling
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468217916301137

In this paper, the coating of TiO2 nanoparticles onto the surface of a polyamide thin film composite nanofiltration membrane has been studied. Changes in the properties and separation performance of the modified membranes were systematically characterized. The experimental results indicated that the membrane surface hydrophilicity was significantly improved by the presence of the coated TiO2 nanoparticles with subsequent UV irradiation. The separation performance of the UV-irradiated TiO2-coated membranes was improved with a great enhancement of flux and a very high retention for removal of residual dye in an aqueous feed solution. The antifouling property of the UV-irradiated TiO2-coated membranes was enhanced with higher maintained flux ratios and lower irreversible fouling factors compared with an uncoated membrane.