Elaboration and characterization of novel PES/nanocomposites mixed matrix membranes
Résumé
In this study, novel polyethersulfone (PES) membranes were blended for the first time with nano-composites from the system (ZnO-TiO2-SiO2-CeO2). The obtained composite membranes by wetphase inversion method were subsequently characterized and finally used for the filtration of lysozyme solutions. The incorporation of 0.25 wt.% of the ternary (ZnO-TiO2-SiO2) and quaternary (ZnO-TiO2-SiO2-CeO2) nanocomposites increased the membrane permeability of 377% and 329% respectively, compared with pure PES membrane. This could be explained by a drastic reduction of the contact angle values from 76 degrees (pure PES membrane) to 32 degrees (composites membranes). Moreover, the membranes prepared with various nanometric inorganic fillers displayed a lysozyme rejection higher than 96% (99% in the case of M-ZTS-Ce-0.25).