Development of functionalized 2D-Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets Decorated Polymeric-Ceramic Composite Membranes with Self-Cleaning Antifouling and Super-Wettable Features for De-Oiling of Oily Wastewater

The release of produced water (oily wastewater) from different petrochemical industries is a serious environmental and natural resource hazard. Thus, it is essential to develop simple and efficient technology for de-oiling of oily wastewater. Recently, membrane-based technology that were developed as efficient ways to purify inland and marine water sources have been accepted and used to treat oily wastewater. Various types of membranes, such as ceramic, polymeric and polymeric-ceramic composite membranes, have been employed in the treatment of oily wastewater. However, because of their exceptional stability against both chemical and thermal variations in the feed composition, ceramic-based membranes are a great choice for treating such a harsh and difficult oily feed. Thus, in this research project, polymeric-ceramic composite membranes with visible light induced photo-catalytic self-cleaning anti-fouling and super-wettable properties will be fabricated by covalently decorating the fictionalized 2D-graphitic carbon nitride (F-2D-G-C3N4) nanosheets in the membrane active layer on an alumina micro-filtration support. Initially, 2D-G-C3N4 nanosheets will be synthesized and then functionalized using amino-group containing network to covalently decorating in the membrane active layer. The synthesized F-2D-G-C3N4 nanosheets will be impregnated in the active layer of the membrane using inter-facial polymerization for the sake of developing a photo-catalytic self-cleaning antifouling membrane with super-wettability behaviour. Furthermore, the polymeric-ceramic composite membranes will be applied for the de-oiling of oily wastewater. The fabricated membranes will be thoroughly characterized and subjected to separation of surfactant stabilized oil-in-water emulsions. Various parameters such as concentration of oil-in-water emulsions, effect of trans-membrane pressure and stability will be studied. The fouling and photo-catalytic self-cleaning performances of the membranes will also be studied.