Preparation and Characterization of Reduced Graphene Oxide /TiO2 Blended Polyphenylene sulfone Antifouling Composite Membrane With Improved Photocatalytic Degradation Performance
Fengna Dai, Shangying Zhang, Qi Wang, Haiquan Chen, Chunhai Chen, Guangtao Qian, Youhai Yu
Abstract
Nanosized titanium oxide (TiO 2 )-based photocatalysts have exhibited great potential for the degradation of organic contaminants, while their weak absorption of visible light limits the photocatalytic efficiency. Herein, a novel reduced graphene oxide/TiO 2 -polyphenylenesulfone (rGO/TiO 2 -PPSU) hybrid ultrafiltration membrane has been successfully prepared via a non-solvent induced phase-separation method, in which the synergistic coupling between the rGO and TiO 2 could endowed the fabricated membranes with visible-light-driven efficient photocatalytically degradation of organic pollutants and outstanding photocatalytic and antifouling properties. Compared with the PPSU membranes prepared with Graphene oxide and TiO 2 , respectively, the rGO/TiO 2 -PPSU membrane demonstrated significant photodegradation towards phenazopyridine hydrochloride (PhP) solution under ultraviolet light (improved about 71 and 43%) and visible light (improved about 153 and 103%). The permeability and flux recovery rates of the membrane indicated that the high flux of the rGO/TiO 2 -PPSU membrane can be greatly restored after fouling, due to the improved self-cleaning properties under visible light static irradiation. With the properties of high performance of photocatalytic degradation and good self-cleaning ability, the rGO/TiO 2 -PPSU membrane would have great potential in water treatment.