Performance evaluation of PAN/PEI membranes with graphene and graphene oxide for application in water treatment

• Grant number: 22/14946-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Edson Cocchieri Botelho
• Grantee: Isabela Luiza Rodrigues Cintra
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEG). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Guaratinguetá. Guaratinguetá , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/02090-4 - Development and Characterization of PAN/Lkp Membranes with Graphene and Graphene Oxide for Water Decontamination, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Due to the threat of scarcity of freshwater sources, the study and development of techniques aimed at water treatment has gained great visibility. Thus, the present study aims to produce and evaluate the performance of polymeric membranes based on graphene and graphene oxide of intercalated layers (sandwich-type structure) of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and poly(ether-imide) (PEI) to be applied in desalination and water decontamination processes. For this, graphene and graphene oxide with different average lateral sizes and average number of layers will be produced, via liquid phase exfoliation process of crystalline graphite and graphite oxide, respectively. After the characterization of graphene and graphene oxide by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), two types of nanofiltration membranes with a sandwich structure a from two different routes: 1) hot compression molding of electrospun PAN and PEI+graphene blankets (previously incorporated into the polymer matrix by the solution mixing method) interleaved; 2) graphene laminate produced from the simple nanofiltration of graphene dispersions in liquid medium (graphene paper) on interspersed PEI and PAN electrospun blankets. The membranes obtained will be characterized by SEM, TGA, Raman spectroscopy, porosity, contact angle, in addition to the evaluation of viscoelastic and mechanical properties by dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA) and performance test of desalination and decontamination of water. With the present study it is expected the development of a high performance membrane for desalination and decontamination of water. (AU)