ANTI FOULING AND WATER FLUX pH REGULATED SWITCHABLE POLYMERIC MEMBRANES

Abstract

In Pakistan, water quality is deteriorating day by day and there is a need for efficient membrane filtration system but due to excessive fouling the life of membrane is highly reduced and to replace a membrane is very costly. So, a cost effective solution to this problem is to design a membrane that foul less and have greater efficiency. This antifouling nature of membrane can be achieved by polymeric ‘grafting to’ of terButyl acrylate to TFC-PA membrane surface. As a result of grafting body of bacteria that are usually made up of protein are repelled by membrane due to the hydrophilic nature of grafted brushes. The localized charge on the surface of membrane helps to repel the fouling agents from the membrane surface. Moreover, Young’s equation was used to find surface energy and work of adhesion, and theoretical water flux is calculated through Poiseuille Equation. An increase in water flux with increasing pressure indicates that, water flux is regulated. Moreover, with a change in pH the water flux varied due to protonation and deprotonation and maximum flux is at pH 3 having a value of 85.5 L/ (m2.h)