Investigation of electric field‐aligned edge‐oxidized graphene oxide nanoplatelets in polyethersulfone matrix in terms of pure water permeation and dye rejection
Farzaneh Besharat, Mehrdad Manteghian, Francesca Russo, Francesco Galiano, Alberto Figoli, Mahdi Abdollahi, Andrea Lazzeri
Abstract
Herein, we have evaluated the impact of orientated edge‐oxidized graphene oxide nanoplatelets (EOGO) in polyether sulfone (PES) membrane on the pure water permeability (PWP) and organic dye molecule rejection values. Aligned PES/EOGO nanocomposite films were prepared through electric field induction. Morphological, structural, and chemical‐physical characterizations including atomic force microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle, zeta potential, porosity, and PWP measurements were carried out. The results revealed successful aligned/oriented PES/EOGO nanocomposite formation at low‐to‐moderate EOGO loadings. Membrane function tests demonstrated an increase in water permeability at higher EOGO contents, up to 0.5 wt%, followed by a decrease at 1 wt% nanoplatelets due to nanoparticles agglomeration. The horizontal electric field (1000 Hz) processed samples indicated lower PWP in comparison with their vertical‐field (34% decrement) and No‐field (29% increment) counterparts as well as a better dye molecule rejection at 0.1 wt%, referring to nanoplatelets successful alignment at this loading level.