Tailoring Polysulfone Membranes With Surface-Modified Silica for Efficient Separation of Oily Water

The aim of the work was to understand the influence of acrylamide grafted silica (Am-g-silica) on the morphology and filtration efficiency of polysulfone (PSf) based membranes. The silica is modified using a surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) technique using acrylamide. Different characterization techniques are used to study membrane properties and filtration capability, including FE-SEM, contact angle, porosity determination, anti-fouling characteristic assessment, and filtering experiments with pure and oily water. The results indicate an enhancement of permeability of the PSf membrane with the incorporation of Am-g-silica. An improved permeate flux (168.16 ± 11.55 Lm⁻² h⁻¹) and pure water flux (440.62 ± 23.11 Lm⁻² h⁻¹) as well as oil rejection of more than 92.8% ± 0.45% was observed at the optimal composition of 8 wt. % Am-g-silica. These enhancements can be ascribed to the enhanced porosity (63.12%) and decreased contact angle (56.76°). In summary, PSf/Am-g-silica membranes demonstrate improved membrane performance, including higher water flux, oil permeation and rejection, and fouling resistance, making them a promising method for oily water treatment applications.