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Abstract
Graphene oxide (GO) is an excellent material for membrane surface modification. However,
little is known about how and to what extent surface functional groups change after
GO modification influence membrane anti-fouling properties. Carboxyl is an inherent
functional group on polyamide or other similar membranes. Multivalent cations in wastewater
secondary effluent can bridge with carboxyls on membrane surfaces and organic foulants,
resulting in serious membrane fouling. In this study, carboxyls of a polydopamine
(pDA)/1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride (TMC) active layer are shielded by covalently-bound
GO. The process is mediated by N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide
(NHS). For GO containing low quantities of carboxyls, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
(XPS) and zeta potential analyzer test results reveal that the carboxyl density decreased
by 52.3% compare to the pDA/TMC membrane after GO modification. Fouling experiments
shows that the flux only slightly declines in the GO functionalized membrane (19.0%),
compared with the pDA/TMC membrane (36.0%) after fouling. In addition, during GO modification
process the pDA/TMC active layer also become harder and thinner with the aid of EDC/NHS.
So the pure water permeability increases from 56.3 ± 18.2 to 103.7 ± 12.0 LMH/MPa.
Our results provide new insights for membrane modification work in water treatment
and other related fields.