Fabrication of Antifouling Nanofiltration Polyethersulfone Membranes Functionalized with the Fumarate Ferroxane Nanoparticles for Dyes Removal from Aqueous Media

The presence of dyes in the aquatic environment can cause soil/water pollution, problems for human health, and abnormal plant growth behavior. In the present study, functionalized polyethersulfone nanofiltration membranes were prepared by ferroxane fumarate nanoparticles. Ferroxane fumarate nanoparticles were charecterized by SEM and FTIR analyzes. The effect of nanoparticles on the performance and properties of membranes was determined in terms of membrane pore size, porosity, hydrophilicity, and separation of milk powder solution by membranes. The hydrophilicity of the membranes was determined by studying the pure water flux and the contact angle of the water. Hydrophilicity increased significantly in membranes containing 0.5% wt. of ferrooxane fumarate nanoparticles. The results of measuring the pure water flux passing through the prepared membranes showed that after functionalization of the polysulfone nanofiltration membrane by ferroxane fumarate nanoparticles, the permeability of this membrane increased more than three times. The maximum flux recovery ratio and the minimum irreversible permeability decay rate obtained by M0.5 membrane were 95.20 and 4.8%, respectively.  Moreover, M0.5 showed the highest rejection for dyes of direct red 16 (99%) and methylene blue (98%). The related results proved that an antifouling fumarate ferroxane functionalized membrane can be efficiently applied for the removal of dyes.