Preparation and characterization of Arginine- modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles and their use in improving the antifouling of PAN/PVP membranes

Abstract

Titanium dioxide TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared in the laboratory using the sol-gel method and treated with arginine to be incorporated into the mixed matrix membranes of PAN/PVP/ TiO₂(Arg). The prepared TiO₂ has been characterized by a number of technologies, X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the formation of anatase crystals, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the formation of spherical, agglomerated grains up to 24 nm in size. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) showed that the prepared TiO₂(NPs) was if high purity. The surfaces of TiO₂(NPs) have been modified with Arginine to inhibit the agglomeration of TiO₂(NPs) and increase their dispersibility in the polymer’s mixture, The FT-IR results modification of TiO₂ (NPs) surfaces with arginine changed the electrical properties of TiO₂ (NPs) surfaces.

 A locally constructed dead-end filter was used to test the performance of the prepared membranes against clogging by using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) solution at primary pressure 0.7 bar and laboratory temperature. The results showed that the addition of TiO₂(Arg) affected the morphology of the prepared The membranes enhanced with TiO₂(Arg) achieved better performance efficiency compared to the unenhanced membrane M0. The membrane (M2) with 0.3% TiO₂(Arg) achieved The highest average deionized water flow rate (0.313ml/cm².min), While the membrane (M1) with 0.1% TiO₂(Arg) achieved the highest flux recovery ratio (F_RR) (85%), and the highest percentage of BSA contamination exclusion (74%).