NANOFILTRATION MEMBRANES, PREPARED VIA INTERFACIAL POLYMERIZATION, DOPED WITH ZnO NANOPARTICLES: EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE

In this work, nanofiltration (NF) membranes doped with ZnO nanoparticles (NP's) were prepared via interfacial polymerization reaction (PI). ZnO nanoparticles were added during PI reaction in different ways: by adding in organic solution, in aqueous solution and in both solutions. PI reaction was determined by FT-IR analysis and the NF membranes prepared by these methodology were characterized by measuring the permeability, water angle contact, molecular weight cut-off, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electronic microscopy and zeta potential, so for removal of Na2SO4, NaCl and MgSO4, (at 1000, 3000 and 5000 mg L-1). According to the results, the doping of membranes increases the removal of salts, reaching up to 97.8%. The salt removal order was Na2SO4 >MgSO4 >NaCl. NP's incorporating in the polymer film depends on the way they are added, gettinE, a higher dopant when added in both monomers. According to the SEM micrographs of the membranes prepared with NP's in the organic phase, show a NY's exposed surface, which affects their performance.