Fabrication of superhydrophilic antifouling and chemical resistant nanofiber using titanium dioxide

Abstract

Organic fouling on membranes have been proven to be a major drawback of membrane technology. Since most membranes are made with polymers such as polypylene, polysuflone and polyvinylidene fluoride, they tend to be naturally hydrophobic. This hydrophobicity is the main reason which causes organic fouling to occur in membranes and hence flux decline over time and permeate quality to decrease significantly.

When fouling occurs on the membrane, chemical flushing is one of the commercial methods used to remove organic foulants on the surface and within the pores. However, these harsh chemical conditions usually damage the membranes over time and causes a decrease in membrane’s service life. Surface modification is the creation of surfaces on membranes, which can influence surface properties and make changes on the membrane surface without affecting the membrane’s features entirely. This method coupled with electrospinning, which can produce highly porous nanofibers suitable for modification, is proven to be a promising direction for membrane technology.

Therefore, this study will pivot on the fabrication of a super hydrophilic nanofiber membrane which has antifouling properties. Furthermore, this modified surface will be used to achieve protection against harsh chemical environments during chemical flushing. The fabrication of this polyvinylidene fluoride membrane was attempted through electrospinning and modified using titanium dioxide through a novel solvothermal method.