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Performance evaluation of polyamide membranes infused with TiO2, CuS, and XG nanoparticles for enhanced wastewater treatment.

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Title: Performance evaluation of polyamide membranes infused with TiO2, CuS, and XG nanoparticles for enhanced wastewater treatment.
Authors: Ravichandran, Sathish Raam1 (AUTHOR) sathishravi.m@gmail.com, Venkatachalam, Chitra Devi2 (AUTHOR), Sengottian, Mothil1 (AUTHOR), Gurusamy, Haribalan1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Separation Science & Technology. 2026, Vol. 61 Issue 13, p2359-2378. 20p.
Subjects: Polyamide membranes, Wastewater treatment, Xanthan gum, Ultrafiltration, Composite membranes (Chemistry), Copper sulfide, Titanium dioxide
Abstract: Polyamide (PA)-based ultrafiltration membranes offer low-cost and energy-efficient separation for wastewater treatment. In this study, nanocomposite PA membranes were synthesized using the non-solvent induced phase inversion (NIPS) technique with controlled thickness (200–400 µm) and incorporation of 0.1 wt.% titanium dioxide (TiO2), copper sulfide (CuS), and xanthan gum (XG) nanoparticles to enhance morphology, hydrophilicity, permeability, and mechanical strength. Nanofiller addition significantly improved the permeability–selectivity balance. The PA@TiO2 membrane exhibited the highest pure water flux of 250 ± 50 L/m2h, nearly ten times higher than pure PA (25 L/m2 h), due to enhanced porosity, improved pore interconnectivity, and Ti-OH functional groups that reduced water transport resistance. The PA@CuS membrane achieved superior BSA rejection of 85.23% compared to 71.89% for pure PA, along with a reduced contact angle of 33.13°, confirming enhanced hydrophilicity. PA@TiO2 also demonstrated 68% NaCl rejection and 56% dye rejection, with effective TSS, COD, and BOD removal in synthetic wastewater. Mechanical analysis showed significant reinforcement, with PA@XG exhibiting the highest tensile strength (3755 Pa). Overall, low nanoparticle loading and scalable NIPS fabrication produced durable, high-performance membranes suitable for sustainable ultrafiltration applications. HIGHLIGHTS: Incorporation of 0.1 wt.% Titanium dioxide, Copper sulfide and xanthan gum nanofillers via non-solvent induced phase inversion significantly enhanced permeability-selectivity balance of polyamide UF membranes. PA@TiO2 membrane achieved 10× higher pure water flux (250 ± 50 L/m2h) compared to pure PA (25 L/m2h). PA@CuS membrane exhibited superior BSA rejection (85.23%) with reduced mean pore size and improved surface hydrophilicity (contact angle 33.13°). Nanofiller incorporation improved mechanical strength, with PA@XG showing 5× higher tensile strength and enhanced modulus for pressure-driven stability. Low-cost, scalable phase inversion fabrication produced durable nanocomposite membranes suitable for sustainable ultrafiltration-based industrial wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:Polyamide (PA)-based ultrafiltration membranes offer low-cost and energy-efficient separation for wastewater treatment. In this study, nanocomposite PA membranes were synthesized using the non-solvent induced phase inversion (NIPS) technique with controlled thickness (200–400 µm) and incorporation of 0.1 wt.% titanium dioxide (TiO2), copper sulfide (CuS), and xanthan gum (XG) nanoparticles to enhance morphology, hydrophilicity, permeability, and mechanical strength. Nanofiller addition significantly improved the permeability–selectivity balance. The PA@TiO2 membrane exhibited the highest pure water flux of 250 ± 50 L/m2h, nearly ten times higher than pure PA (25 L/m2 h), due to enhanced porosity, improved pore interconnectivity, and Ti-OH functional groups that reduced water transport resistance. The PA@CuS membrane achieved superior BSA rejection of 85.23% compared to 71.89% for pure PA, along with a reduced contact angle of 33.13°, confirming enhanced hydrophilicity. PA@TiO2 also demonstrated 68% NaCl rejection and 56% dye rejection, with effective TSS, COD, and BOD removal in synthetic wastewater. Mechanical analysis showed significant reinforcement, with PA@XG exhibiting the highest tensile strength (3755 Pa). Overall, low nanoparticle loading and scalable NIPS fabrication produced durable, high-performance membranes suitable for sustainable ultrafiltration applications. HIGHLIGHTS: Incorporation of 0.1 wt.% Titanium dioxide, Copper sulfide and xanthan gum nanofillers via non-solvent induced phase inversion significantly enhanced permeability-selectivity balance of polyamide UF membranes. PA@TiO2 membrane achieved 10× higher pure water flux (250 ± 50 L/m2h) compared to pure PA (25 L/m2h). PA@CuS membrane exhibited superior BSA rejection (85.23%) with reduced mean pore size and improved surface hydrophilicity (contact angle 33.13°). Nanofiller incorporation improved mechanical strength, with PA@XG showing 5× higher tensile strength and enhanced modulus for pressure-driven stability. Low-cost, scalable phase inversion fabrication produced durable nanocomposite membranes suitable for sustainable ultrafiltration-based industrial wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:01496395
DOI:10.1080/01496395.2026.2658057