Application of wet chemical surface functionalization method in preparation of anti-fouling polysulfone microporous membrane for water treatment

In this work, KClO3, K2Cr2O7, and KMnO4, dissolved in sulfuric acid, were used to functionalize microporous Polysulfone (PSf) membranes; fabricated by phase inversion method. The optimum concentrations of oxidizing agent and sulfuric acid and membrane immersion times were determined. FTIR results revealed that the absorbance intensities of -OH and C=O peaks as well as the variety of functional groups in the samples treated by KClO3 are remarkably higher than in the samples treated by K2Cr2O7 and KMnO4, respectively. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) filtration experiments revealed that the total fouling ratio (TFR) and irreversible fouling ratio (IFR) decreased from 73.4% for pristine PSf membrane to 52.9%, 49.4% and 60.4% for treated membranes by Set A (K2Cr2O7), Set B (KClO3) and Set C (KMnO4), respectively. Moreover, IFR of membranes decreased from 45.4% for pristine PSf membrane to 29.9%, 22.4% and 36.1% for treated membranes by Set A, Set B, and Set C, respectively.