Flat sheet polycarbonate/multi-walled carbon nanotube (PC/MWCNT) nanocomposite
membranes with different nanoparticle contents were prepared by applying
the phase inversion method. The characteristics of the prepared membranes were
analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force
microscopy (AFM), water contact angle, porosity, pure water flux (PWF), and
mechanical properties. The performance of the membranes was evaluated in a submerged
membrane system for two cycles and also for the filtration of humic acid
(HA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The obtained results revealed that nanocomposites
containing 0.1 wt% of MWCNTs showed better hydrophilicity, porosity,
PWF, and mechanical properties. The FE-SEM images from surface indicated
that the density and pore size of membrane increased from 0 to 0.1 wt% of MWCNTs.
Moreover, according to AFM images, the PC/MWCNT-0.1 membrane showed
a smoother surface than other samples. The antifouling performance of the membranes
in a submerged membrane system revealed that the BSA solution flux for
all membranes was lower than that of the HA solution due to the pore blocking of
membranes occurring in the initial filtration of BSA. Apart from that addition of
the 0.1 wt% of MWCNTs led to significant improvement in the fouling recovery
ratio in the filtration of both HA and BSA because of the lower roughness and high
hydrophilicity of the membrane surface. The rejection results revealed that the neat
PC membrane had the highest value in the removal of HA and BSA with respect to
other samples due to the formation of a thicker and denser cake layer on the membrane
surface.