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In this work, Graphene Oxide (GO) is embedded in both selective hydrophilic layer and porous hydrophobic substrate creating a mutual bridge between the two surfaces. Pristine 1–3 µm microporous PSF...

A two-level full factorial design was used to analyze several factors involved in PSF–GO–Pebax thin film nanocomposite membranes development. Permeate flux was chosen as a single response for four possible factors: Pebax selective layer concentration, amount of GO load to Pebax selective layer, Pebax–GO selective layer thickness, and amount of GO load to PSF substrate. The study is aimed at factors interaction and contribution towards the highest permeation flux via FFD and RSM approach. R2 obtained from the ANOVA is 0.9937 with Pebax concentration as the highest contributing factor. Pebax concentration–amount of GO load to PSF substrate is the only interaction contributing to the highest flux. A regression analysis concluded the study with model development and an optimized condition for the membrane design., Chemical engineering; Membrane; Transport process; Computer-aided engineering; Films; Thin film; Nanomaterials; Composite film; Hydrophilic enhancement; ANOVA; Optimization

Polymeric membranes separation among the new and reliable separation and purification techniques in terms of energy consumption, ease of the process, and high selectivity due to polymer properties can be tailored to specific needs. This comprehensive review highlights polymeric membranes' current development, specifically on thin film nanocomposite membranes for alcohol dehydration via pervaporation (PV). Discussion on substrate choice and fillers incorporating in respective polymers and how significant both materials in PV application has been scrutinized. Recent works on Thin Film Nanocomposite (TFNC) membranes showed that there is still a gap in factors or parameters involved in TFNC synthesis, which the same old weakness of membrane swelling, flux loss, and selectivity deficit seem left to be discovered. A performance plot of IPA dehydration from recent works has been provided within this paper as a benchmark for researchers to compare their findings. This review emphasizes on finding a set of parameter and nanomaterial as a possible approach for future TFNC development.

Graphene oxide (GO) was introduced in this study as a hydrophilic enhancer to polyether block amide copolymer (PEBAX) in the form of thin film nanocomposite (TFNC) for hydrophobic based polysulfone (PSF) membrane. The objective is to increase hydrophilic moieties by providing more polar terminal within the TFNC network and by doing so, the film managed to completely reduce IPA traces in the permeate from 0.8 wt % while maintaining a constant flux of 1.2 kg/m2h. SEM, FTIR and water contact angle was used to characterized the produced film. The contact angle was also reduced from 77.5° to 37.48°, indicating the increment of hydrophilicity of the film. Interestingly, the GO incorporated film could take up to 38.02% of water, proving a possibility for this TFNC to be used in pervaporation.