A novel sodium alginate/cellulose nanofiber self-supported hydrogel membrane and its filtration performance

A polysaccharides sodium alginate (SA)/cellulose nanofiber (CNF) composite hydrogel (S-Cx) was prepared for applying as a self-supported filtration membrane to solve the problem of membrane fouling . By using “cooking” method to deal with the SA solution and adding CNF in the synthesis process, the hydrogel membrane shows excellent mechanical properties. Through the pore-making and large pressure applying, the flux of S-Cx membrane could reach 71.5 Lm −2  h −1 , which is similar to some hydrophobic membranes. The excellent fouling resistance and long-term application ability were also found in the filtration. Moreover, its rich ionic groups such as carboxyl and hydroxyl groups endow the membrane with a strong ability to intercept the heavy metal ions and ionic dyes based on the differential mechanisms. All of the characteristics make it a potential filter membrane.