Optimization of Process Parameters using Response Surface Methodology for PCL based Biodegradable Composite Membrane for
- PDF / 2,633,848 Bytes
- 14 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 42 Downloads / 243 Views
RESEARCH ARTICLE-CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Optimization of Process Parameters using Response Surface Methodology for PCL based Biodegradable Composite Membrane for Water Purification S. Nivedita1 · Shiny Joseph1 Received: 27 August 2019 / Accepted: 13 April 2020 © King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals 2020
Abstract The biodegradability of polycaprolactone (PCL) and the anti-fouling property of TiO2 are utilized for the preparation of membranes for water treatment. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is added to the polymeric solution to increase the pore formation in the membranes. The composition of PEG and TiO2 nanoparticles was optimized using the central composite design and response surface methodology. Quadratic models were developed for the responses porosity and contact angle, and the optimum compositions obtained for PEG and TiO2 were 6.24 and 1 wt%, respectively. The competency of the membrane for water treatment is studied using different characterization techniques such as TG analysis, FTIR to determine the chemical interactions, UTM to examine the mechanical strength, AFM for membrane roughness determination and morphological analysis using FESEM. A twofold increase in the overall porosity and a twentyfold reduction (approx.) in pore size were observed for the composite membrane from FESEM images. The anti-fouling ability of TiO2 resulted in a flux recovery of about 90% for the composite membrane compared to the PCL–PEG membrane after bovine serum albumin filtration. Also, the presence of TiO2 increased the reversible fouling component, which can be easily removed by cleaning/backwashing. Thus, the PCL–TiO2 combination would be a better alternative for the membranes used in water treatment applications. Keywords Membrane · RSM · Optimization · TiO2 nanoparticles · Fouling
1 Introduction Different types of polymers have been used in the preparation of membranes for water treatment and purification in the past few years. But these polymers are not decomposable and disposable to the environment, which is again a concern of waste management. Biodegradable polymers can be the best alternative for these materials as they can be decomposed easily. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a well-known biodegradable polymer that has several applications in the area of biomedicine, packaging, etc. PCL can be degraded by micro-organisms as well as by the hydrolysis of its ester linkages without any secondary influence [1]. The degradation rate would be faster at higher pH due to the presence
B
Shiny Joseph [email protected] S. Nivedita [email protected]
1
Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kozhikode, Kerala 673601, India
of more hydroxyl groups [2]. However, the degradation rate is slow (2–3 years) because of its hydrophobic nature. PCL readily forms blends with different polymers, and it is soluble in a wide range of solvents [3]. Due to the favouring features of biocompatibility and biodegradability, PCL can be used for water treatment applications. The structural stability and
Data Loading...
