In this study the effects of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on the
physicochemical properties and performances of cellulose acetate butyrate
(CAB) membranes were investigated. Nanocomposite membranes were fabricated
using Cand a small amount of GO in the range of 0 to 0.07 wt.%, using a
conventional phase-inversion method. Membranes were characterized by
different methods and their performances were tested using a dead-end
filtration system. Compared with pristine Cmembrane, experimental results
demonstrated an improvement in features such as hydrophilicity,
permeability, salt rejection, antifouling, and stability. The results proved
an increase in the porosity and pore sizes of membranes with GO addition.
Furthermore, the membrane containing 0.07 wt.% of GO exhibited a low contact
angle of 37? and a dramatic improvement in water flux of about 450% (from 2
to 11 L/m2 h). Moreover, it demonstrated a salt rejection of 39% for NaCl
and 87% for Na2SO4, corresponding to improvements of about 144% and 93%,
respectively. Furthermore, the results revealed a higher antifouling
property with an 86% improvement in flux recovery and higher stability in
terms of performance and thermal properties compared to CAB.
Cellulose acetate butyrate graphene oxide nanocomposite membrane: Fabrication, characterization, and performance
