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    Novel PVDF membranes comprising n-butylamine functionalized graphene oxide for direct contact membrane distillation

    Year: 2017

    Journal: J. Membr. Sci., Volume 539, OCT 1, page 34–42

    Authors: Lu, Kang-Jia; Zuo, Jian; Chung, Tai-Shung

    Organizations: Singapore National Research Foundation under its Energy Innovation Research Programme; Using Cold Energy from Re-gasification of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for Novel Hybrid Seawater Desalination Technologies [R-279-000-456-279]; Arkema Inc. [R-279-000-473-597]

    To enhance the mechanical properties and wetting resistance of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes for membrane distillation (MD) of seawater, we have added n-butylamine modified graphene oxide (GO-NBA) in PVDF flat-sheet and hollow fiber membranes. For the first time, it is found that the addition of GO-NBA leads to PVDF flat sheet membranes with greater mechanical properties than that of conventional GO because of better compatibility, dispersity and crystalline structure. The addition of the GO-NBA also improves the mechanical properties of PVDF hollow fiber membranes in both tensile and hoop directions. With a small loading of 0.5 wt% GO-NBA in PVDF hollow fiber membranes, the maximum tensile stress, maximum tensile stain and Young's modulus increase by 32%, 63% and 71%, respectively, while the liquid entry pressure (LEP) and burst pressure jump by 67% and 15%, respectively. Under direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD), the 0.5 wt% GO-NBA incorporated membrane shows a flux of 61.9 kg m(-2) h(-1) and a salt rejection of 99.9% using a model seawater as the feed at 80 degrees C. This work might provide useful insights to fabricate robust MD membranes for seawater desalination.
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