Abstract
Membrane research has managed to reach ever greater heights. The optimization of membrane processes is of common interest to industry, research and the domestic environment. Nanomaterials have been progressively researched in the membrane sector within the last decade, contributing in particular to their beneficial properties for the prevention of membrane fouling. This research investigates the effect of two shapes of ZnO nanomaterials, respectively nanoparticles and nanowires, on the properties of ultrafiltration membranes composed of 25 wt.% polysulfone. The method of membrane manufacturing is phase inversion, the immersion precipitation technique, and the procedure of nanomaterial incorporation into the polymeric matrix is known as blending. The results demonstrated the positive influence of nanomaterials on the performance of membranes, regardless of their shape, compared to the control membrane. In terms of permeability, the membrane with addition of ZnO nanoparticles showed an increase of 207.19 %, while the membrane with addition of zinc oxide nanowires recorded an increase of 89.16%.
Keywords: ultrafiltration; nanocomposites; nanoparticles; nanowires; ZnO