Enhancing the Performances of Polymeric PVDF Membranes for Oil/Water Separation by Hydrophilic and Underwater Oleophobic Surfaces Modification

Faraziehan Senusi (School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Pulau Pinang, Permatang Pauh 13500 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)
Benjamin Ballinger (School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)
Suzylawati Ismail (School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

Indonesian Journal of Chemistry
Vol 20, No 3 (2020)

This paper investigates the permeability and separation performance of polyphenolic-amine coated PVDF membrane with hydrophilic (26.9 ± 5.6°) and underwater oleophobic (162.1 ± 5.1°) surface modification. Surface chemical structures, surface compositions and hydrophilicity of membranes were investigated by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle analyses, respectively. The separation of emulsion oil solutions was evaluated using cross-flow filtration mode in term of high permeation flux and excellent oil resistance. Then, the flux recovery ratio of filtration process was calculated at different transmembrane pressures (TMP) and initial concentrations of emulsion feed solutions. The results showed a decrease in the flux recovery ratio at higher pressures and initial oil concentrations. By applying Hermia’s blocking model, formation of cake layer shows dominant fouling mechanism for the emulsion oil separation process.