Abstract
We report the preparation of an electrostatically-coupled graphene oxide nanocomposite cation exchange membrane (CEM) based on sulfonic group containing graphene oxide (SGO) (45 wt % loading) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), where the ion exchange groups were provided by the SGO additive. SGO was prepared via the mixing of graphene oxide (GO) with a mixture derived from 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-DOPA) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS). A mold-casting technique was developed to fabricate the free-standing nanocomposite CEM. The presence of sulfonic groups in the nanocomposite was confirmed with FTIR spectroscopy. Energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis showed the SGO was distributed across the entire membrane matrix, with minimal aggregation. The resultant SGO/PVDF nanocomposite CEM membrane demonstrated high hydrophilicity and high water uptake, but low swelling ratio. Furthermore, evaluation of the electrochemical properties of the nanocomposite CEM showed favorable ion exchange capacity (0.63 ± 0.08 meq/g), permselectivity (0.95 ± 0.04), and area resistance (2.8 ± 0.2 Ω cm2). The nanocomposite CEM show good potential for use in electromembrane desalination applications.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 117457 |
| Journal | Journal of Membrane Science |
| Volume | 594 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 7 2019 |
Bibliographical note
KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01Acknowledgements: This manucript is part of the collaborative project between Masdar Institute-Khalifa University and University of Manchester (SMG2016-000001). The authors acknowledge the financial support of Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE, and the University of Manchester. The authors would also like to thank Habeebllah Oladipo and Tuza Olukan for their help with AFM characterizations; Mahendra Kumar and Moza Al Humaidi for helping with water contact angle measurements; and Cyril Aubry and Hammed Younes for assisting with Raman spectroscopy.