Effect of corona discharge modification on the surface properties of Polyacrylonitril/Thermoplastic polyurethane nanofiber membrane

Authors

• Mohammad Mehdi Nikkhah Nikkho ¹
• Kambiz Tahvildari * ¹
• Mohammad Allah Gholi Ghasri ²
• Sima Habibi ³
• Shirin Nourbakhsh ³

1. Department of Chemistry, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2. Department of Chemistry, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3. Department of Textile Engineering, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In this research, the effect of corona discharge surface modification on surface properties and water purification efficiency of electrospun polyacrylonitrile and thermoplastic polyurethane )PAN/TPU( nanofiber membranes has been investigated. The corona-treated PAN/TPU membranes were studied using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR), water contact angle, detection and enumeration of Escherichia coli (E.coli), the most probable number (MPN) estimation of E. coli, and the desalinating performance through electrical conductivity (EC). The results showed that the sample PT4, which was subjected to 40 s of surface treatment, presented the lowest water contact angle (25.2°). The highly connected nanofibers between pores for the sample with 40s surface treatment provided excellent membrane filterability. The formation of polar oxygen groups was confirmed on the surface of membranes contributing to its enhanced wettability. The desalination process provided good efficiency by removing about 30 wt.% of the salt present in the water samples. The MPN and lactose consumption tests indicated that the prepared membranes could remove E.Coli, However, fungi agents could pass it for both water samples of Persian Gulf and Caspian sea. The water hardness for the water samples of the Persian Gulf and Caspian sea were 6800 and 3700 ppm, respectively, indicating that both water samples are very hard. The appropriate purification of these samples sounds a way out to increase available drinkable and more pure water.

Keywords

• Surface treatment
• Electrospinning
• Nanofiber
• Water purification
• Desalination