Preparation of cMWCNTs-incorporated Hollow Fiber Membrane with Improved Water Flux and Dye Adsorption Properties

Carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (cMWCNTs) were incorporated in membrane matrix during the drywet spinning process to improve membrane performance. Membrane surface composition and morphology were examined by means of FTIR and SEM. The effects of cMWCNTs content on membrane surface hydrophilicity, separation performance and dye adsorption properties were well investigated and characterized through WCA examination, the cross-flow filtration measurement and the adsorption experiment. The surface hydrophilicity, the water permeability, solute rejection and dye adsorption properties of the cMWNTs-incorporated hollow fiber membranes have been all improved. When cMWNTs content was 0.3 wt%, the cMWNTs-incorporated hollow fiber membrane obtained the obvious enhanced pure water flux (137.2 L·m -2 ·h -1 , at 0.1 MPa) which was 1.5 times as high as that of the original PSF hollow fiber membrane. The prepared cMWCNTs-incorporated membranes are expected to be used in the treatment of textile dyeing wastewater or employed as the supports of the composite membranes.