Alignment of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes in forward osmosis membrane support layer induced by electric and magnetic fields

A novel aligned polyphenylensulfone (PPSU)/cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP)/functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube (FMWCNT) membrane support was prepared for forward osmosis (FO) application. The effect of applying the electric and/or magnetic fields on the horizontal and vertical alignment of FMWCNTs within PPSU/CAP membrane supports was investigated in detail. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) confirmed the alignment of FMWCNTs under combined electric and magnetic fields. Furthermore, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and water contact angle determination were conducted to further characterize the obtained samples. The performance of the obtained supports was studied in terms of pure water flux (PWF) and consequently, the vertically aligned nanocomposite membrane support prepared with 0.8wt% FMWCNT, aligned under 0.6 kV/cmelectric field followed by 2 T magnetic field demonstrated almost 6 times higher PWF in comparison with the unaligned one. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.