PVDF Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Microfiltration: The Effect of Pore Size and Thickness on Membrane Performance

Year 2019, Issue: 16, 247 - 255, 31.08.2019

Çiğdem Akduman

https://doi.org/10.31590/ejosat.556748

Cited By: 3

Abstract

Microfiltration membranes are needed in waste water treatment, water purification and concentration processes. To separate microorganisms and suspended particles from process liquid, a contaminated fluid, especially water, is passed through a porous membrane. Electrospun nanofiber membranes could be used for this aim with their nanoscale fibers, small pore size, low weight and high permeability. The main purpose of this study is to show the relationship between the average fiber diameter and thickness of the PVDF nanofiber membrane and the pore size and liquid filtration efficiency. PVDF is a widely used polymer in water treatment processes. It is highly non-reactive thermoplastic fluoropolymer with outstanding physical and chemical properties. In this study, 16, 14 and 12% (w/v) PVDF nanofibers were produced electrospinning method to achieve three different mean diameter. 15 min, 30 min, 60 min, 3h and 5h of production periods were used for producing various thicknesses. According to pore size measurements, the differences in mean flow pore size (MFP) of 16PVDF and 14PVDF nanofiber membranes were not distinct. However, due to thin nanofiber diameter (278.58 nm) and high amount of nanofibers, the biggest pore size (FBP) of 12PVDF-5h was the smallest. There was also a significant difference between 12PVDF-5h and 12PVDF-3h, and FBP of these two membranes were smaller than the other three 12PVDF nanofiber membranes. Liquid filtration property of produced electrospun PVDF nanofibers was evaluated by turbidity rejection of a kaolin solution. In correlation with the pore size results, it was seen that best turbidity rejection % was belonging to 12PVDF-5h and worst was belonging to 16PVDF-15min nanofiber membranes. Nevertheless, all of the produced electrospun PVDF nanofiber membranes can be effectively used to remove contaminants from waste water at a relatively low cost.

Keywords

Nanofibers, Liquid Filtration, Pore Size, Turbidity

Thanks

Author would like to thank HYFIBER-Abalıoğlu Teknoloji for the support given.

Mikrofiltrasyon için elektrolif çekim yöntemi ile üretilmiş PVDF nanolifli membranlar: Gözenek boyutu ve kalınlığının membran performansına etkisi

Abstract

Atık su arıtma, su saflaştırma ve konsantrasyon artırma işlemlerinde mikrofiltrasyon membranlarına ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Mikroorganizmaları ve askıda bulunan parçacıkları işlem sıvısından ayırmak için, kontamine sıvı, özellikle su, gözenekli bir membrandan geçirilir. Bu amaçla, elektrolif çekim yöntemi ile üretilmiş nanolifli membranların nano boyuttaki lifleri, küçük gözenek boyutları, düşük ağırlık ve yüksek geçirgenlik ile kullanılabilirler. Bu çalışmanın esas amacı ortalama lif çapı, PVDF nanolifli membranların kalınlıkları ve gözenek boyutlarının sıvı filtrasyon verimlilikleri arasındaki ilişkiyi göstermektir. PVDF atık su arıtma proseslerinde yaygın olarak kullanılan bir polimerdir. Fiziksel ve kimyasal özellikleri ile dikkat çeken reaktif olmayan termoplastik floropolimerdir. Bu çalışmada,% 16, 14 ve 12 (w/v) PVDF nanolifler, üç farklı lif çapı elde etmek için elektrolif çekim yöntemi üretilmiştir. Çeşitli kalınlıkların elde edilmesi amacı ile 15 dakika, 30 dakika, 60 dakika, 3 saat ve 5 saat üretim süreleri kullanılmıştır. Gözeneklilik ölçüm sonuçlarına göre, ortalama 16PVDF ve 14PVDF nanolifli membranlarının gözenek boyutları arasındaki büyük bir fark yoktur. Ancak, ince nanolif çapı (278.58 nm) ve fazla miktardaki nanolif nedeni ile, 12PVDF-5h nanolifli membranların en büyük gözeneklilikleri (FBP) en küçük olmuştur. Ayrıca 12PVDF-5h ve 12PVDF-3h arasında anlamlı bir farklılık gözlenmiştir ve bu iki membrana ait FBP boyutu diğer üç PVDF nanolifli membrandan daha küçük olmuştur. Üretilen PVDF nanoliflerin sıvı filtrasyon özellikleri, hazırlanan kaolin çözeltisinin bulanıklığının giderilmesi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Gözenek boyutları da göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, en iyi bulanıklık giderilme %’sinin 12PVDF-5h'e, en kötü bulanıklık giderilmesinin ise 16PVDF-15min nanolifli membranlara ait olduğu görülmüştür. Bununla birlikte, üretilen PVDF nanolifli membranların tümü, nispeten daha düşük bir maliyetle atık sudan kirleticilerin giderilmesi amacı ile etkili bir şekilde kullanılabilecek filtrasyon performansına sahiptir.

Keywords

Nanolifler, Sıvı Filtrasyon, Gözenek Boyutu, Bulanıklık

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