Antibacterial and Hydrophilic Characteristics of Poly(ether sulfone) Composite Membranes Containing Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Grafted with Hydrophilic Polymers

• Published in: Industrial & engineering chemistry research Vol. 55; no. 28; pp. 7801 - 7809
• Main Authors: Jo, Y. J, Choi, E. Y, Choi, N. W, Kim, C. K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 20-07-2016
• ISSN: 0888-5885; 1520-5045
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.6b01510

An ultrafiltration membrane with antibacterial effectiveness and high water flux was prepared from poly­(ether sulfone) (PES) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles grafted with poly­(1-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP-g-ZnO) and poly­(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-acrylonitrile) (P­(VP-AN)-g-ZnO). The PES membrane did not exhibit antibacterial activity, whereas the PES membranes containing more than 0.5 wt % of ZnO nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity, regardless of the polymer grafted onto the ZnO. The solute rejection measured with the PES/P­(VP-AN)-g-ZnO membrane was nearly identical to that measured with the PES membrane. The water flux of the PES membrane involving polymer-grafted ZnO nanoparticles was higher than that of the PES membrane containing pristine ZnO nanoparticles when the ZnO concentration in the membrane was fixed, The PES/PVP-g-ZnO and the PES/P­(VP-AN)-g-ZnO membranes exhibited nearly identical water flux. Membranes exhibiting antibacterial effectiveness, improved water flux, and antifouling characteristic without changes in solute rejection could be produced by incorporating P­(VP-AN)-g-ZnO.