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Silica nanoparticle-doped polyurethane membranes for reverse osmosis applications

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Abstract

Polyurethane (PU) is an exclusive class of polymers with special significance in membrane technology. In this work, PU was synthesized using isophorone diisocyanate and polyethylene glycol and possible reaction mechanism and interactions are proposed in an effort to explain the properties of PU as membrane. A series of PU membranes doped with silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) were prepared. The effect of doping of SiNPs (0.01–0.03 wt%) was investigated in terms of structural, thermal, morphological, contact angle, mechanical, antibacterial and permeation properties of the prepared membranes. The FTIR band at 944 cm−1 confirmed the impregnation of SiNPs in PU matrix. The contact angle measurements revealed improved hydrophilic character of silica-doped membranes as compared to pure PU membrane. The SEM analyses exposed a uniform dispersion of SiNPs in PU matrix up to 0.02%, while aggregation was perceived at higher content. The PU membranes with the highest SiNPs content (0.03%) showed the highest thermal stability and tensile strength. The systematic study of desalination demonstrated the RO capability of prepared membranes. The membrane with 0.02% loading of SiNPs supported for highest salt rejection (92.5%) and water flux (22.8 L/h m2) at effective pressure of 20 bar. Hence, these results recommend the PU membrane doped with 0.02% SiNPs as a promising candidate for reverse osmosis applications.

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Funding

The whole research work was funded by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (Grant #20-2887/NRPU/R&D/HEC/13/464).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemistry, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan

    Misbah Sultan & Farah Kanwal

  2. Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan

    Saba Urooge Khan, Atif Islam, Sadaf Hafeez, Nafisa Gull, Muhammad Shafiq & Rafi Ullah Khan

  3. School of Physical Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan

    Farah Kanwal

  4. School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan

    Khadija Rafiq

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  1. Misbah Sultan
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  2. Saba Urooge Khan
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  4. Atif Islam
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  9. Rafi Ullah Khan
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Correspondence to Misbah Sultan.

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Sultan, M., Khan, S.U., Kanwal, F. et al. Silica nanoparticle-doped polyurethane membranes for reverse osmosis applications. Chem. Pap. 74, 2837–2848 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-020-01124-2

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