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Electrospun functionalized polyacrylonitrile-chitosan Bi-layer membranes for water filtration applications

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Kheng-Lim GohORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Abstract

Water scarcity has become a global systemic risk, prompting the development of more efficient filtration technologies. Recently, increasing attention has been given to low cost membrane materials such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers for water filtration. In this study, electrospun PAN nanofibrous membranes were functionalized with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and coated with a layer of electrospun chitosan (Cs), in order to improve the mechanical properties, and anti-bacterial and water filtration performance of the membranes. Morphological analysis revealed that the PAN/ZnO-Cs membranes featured a structural hierarchy comprising a layer of highly porous nanofibrous PAN membranes and a less fibrous and thinner layer of a Cs coating. Addition of the Cs layer increases the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the membranes. Results acquired from a water permeability test indicated that the bi-layer membranes possessed adequate transport properties for typical membrane applications. Furthermore, the additional Cs layer and ZnO nanoparticles significantly improved the heavy metal ion adsorption performance of the PAN membranes. Moreover, the efficiency of the PAN/ ZnO-Cs membrane for bacteria filtration has a log reduction value 2 orders of magnitude higher than PAN membranes, while the efficiency of these membranes for antibacterial action (i.e. in terms of log reduction value) is 6 orders of magnitude higher than PAN membranes. These results indicate the PAN/ ZnO-Cs membranes are structurally more stable than PAN membranes, better at bacteria removal during the filtration process and better at self-cleaning (i.e. membrane biofouling resistance) than PAN membranes, signifying the potential of these membranes for water filtration applications.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Makaremi M, Lim CX, Pasbakhsh P, Lee SM, Goh KL, Chang HK, Chan ES

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: RSC Advances

Year: 2016

Volume: 6

Issue: 59

Pages: 53882-53893

Online publication date: 27/05/2016

Acceptance date: 26/05/2016

Date deposited: 17/11/2016

ISSN (electronic): 2046-2069

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C6RA05942B

DOI: 10.1039/c6ra05942b

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