Anti-fouling behaviors of surface functionalized high density polyethylene membrane in microfiltration of bovine serum albumin protein

Document Type : Original research

Authors

1 Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

2 Membrane Technology Research Center, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

An essential characteristic for high performance inherently hydrophobic membranes such as microporous high density polyethylene (HDPE) membranes is to have a hydrophilic surface. In this project, wet chemical functionalization as a facile and effective method was developed to give a hydrophilic property to HDPE membranes using polar functional groups. KClO3, K2Cr2O7 and KMnO4 were selected as oxidizing agents. The optimum concentrations and treatment time intervals were determined for each oxidizing agent. Water contact angle and pure water flux measurements were conducted to evaluate the surface hydrophilicity and membrane performance, respectively. The results showed that among different oxidizing agents, 1wt% K2Cr2O7 solution with 60 min immersion time had the highest impact on the pure water flux. The percentage of re-construction phenomenon was about 4.70%, 21.94% and 32.6% for the HDPE membranes treated by KClO3, K2Cr2O7 and KMnO4, respectively. In addition, the attenuated total reflectance spectra-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) results confirmed the presence of hydroxyl groups (O–H peak appeared at 3418.78 cm−1) in the membrane modified by KClO3. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) filtration experiments revealed that the total fouling ratio (TFR) and irreversible fouling ratio (IFR) decreased from 88.10% and 42.60% for pristine membrane to 65%, 68% and 72%
and 26.60%, 29.30% and 35% for the modified membranes treated by KClO3, K2Cr2O7 and KMnO4, respectively. The results indicated that incorporation of hydrophilic functional groups on the surface of HDPE membranes improved the fouling resistance behavior.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. Bergbreiter DE (1994) Polyethylene surface chemistry. Prog Polym Sci 19: 529-560
  2. 2. Ng LY, Mohammad AW, Leo CP, Hilal N (2013) Polymeric membranes incorporated with metal/ metal oxide nanoparticles: A comprehensive review. Desalination 308: 15-33
  3. 3. Ulbricht M (2006) Advanced functional polymer membranes. Polymer 47: 2217-2262
  4. Chung T-S, Jiang LY, Li Y, Kulprathipanja S (2007) Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) comprising organic polymers with dispersed inorganic fillers for gas separation. Prog Polym Sci 32: 483-507
  5. Amirabedi P, Yegani R, Aghjeh MKR (2013) Experimental Design Applied to Fabrication of PSf Membranes via NIPS Method. Part1: Influential parameters on membrane porosity and mechanical strength, J Text Polym 1: 24-30
  6. Gopal R, Zuwei M, Kaur S, Ramakrishna S (2007) Surface modification and application of functionalized polymer nanofibers. In: Molecular building blocks for nanotechnology, Springer, 72- 91
  7. Kato K, Uchida E, Kang E-T, Uyama Y, Ikada Y (2003) Polymer surface with graft chains. Prog Polym Sci 28: 209-259
  8. Nady N, Franssen MC, Zuilhof H, Eldin MSM, Boom R, Schroën K (2011) Modification methods for poly (arylsulfone) membranes: A mini-review focusing on surface modification. Desalination 275: 1-9
  9. Jeon M, Kim C (2007) Phase behavior of polymer/ diluent/diluent mixtures and their application to control microporous membrane structure. J Membrane Sci 300: 172-181
  10. Ding H, Tian Y, Wang L, Liu B (2007) Preparation of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene membranes via a thermally induced phase-separation method. J Appl Polym Sci 105: 3355- 3362
  11. Matsuyama H, Hayashi K, Maki T, Teramoto M, Kubota N (2004) Effect of polymer density on polyethylene hollow fiber membrane formation via thermally induced phase separation. J Appl polym Sci 93: 471-474
  12. Matsuyama H, Okafuji H, Maki T, Teramoto M, Kubota N (2003) Preparation of polyethylene hollow fiber membrane via thermally induced phase separation. J Membrane Sci 223: 119-126
  13. Matsuyama H, Kim M-m, Lloyd DR (2002) Effect of extraction and drying on the structure of microporous polyethylene membranes prepared via thermally induced phase separation. J Membrane Sci 204: 413-419
  14. Scheirs J, Böhm LL, Boot JC, Leevers PS (1996) PE100 resins for pipe applications: continuing the development into the 21st century. Trend Polym Sci 4: 408-415
  15. Matsuba G, Sakamoto S, Ogino Y, Nishida K, Kanaya T (2007) Crystallization of polyethylene blends under shear flow. Effects of crystallization temperature and ultrahigh molecular weight component. Macromolecules 40: 7270-7275
  16. Ferguson GS, Whitesides GM (1992). Thermal reconstruction of the functionalized interface of polyethylene carboxylic acid and its derivatives, Springer.
  17. Leonard M, Sidney L (1967) Method of treating polyethylene and polypropylene plastic surfaces. US Patent, US3317330
  18. Xu Z-K, Huang X-J, Wan L-S (2009). Surface Engineering of Polymer Membranes Springer.
  19. Rana D,Matsuura T (2010) Surface modifications for antifouling membranes. Chem Rev 110: 2448- 2471
  20. Nunes SP, Sforça ML, Peinemann K-V (1995) Dense hydrophilic composite membranes for ultrafiltration. J Membrane Sci 106: 49-56
  21. Kim K, Fane A, Fell C (1988) The performance of ultrafiltration membranes pretreated by polymers. Desalination 70: 229-249
  22. Singh N, Husson SM, Zdyrko B, Luzinov I (2005) Surface modification of microporous PVDF membranes by ATRP. J Membrane Sci 262: 81-90
  23. Liu Z-M, Xu Z-K, Wang J-Q, Yang Q, Wu J, Seta P (2003) Surface modification of microporous polypropylene membranes by the grafting of poly (γ-stearyl-l-glutamate). Eur polym J 39: 2291- 2299
  24. Favia P, Lopez L, Sardella E, Gristina R, Nardulli M, d'Agostino R (2006) Low temperature plasma processes for biomedical applications and membrane processing. Desalination 199: 268-270
  25. Wang Y-q, Wang T, Su Y-l, Peng F-b, Wu H, Jiang Z-y (2005) Remarkable reduction of irreversible fouling and improvement of the permeation properties of poly (ether sulfone) ultrafiltration membranes by blending with pluronic F127. Langmuir 21: 11856-11862
  26. Nunes SP, Peinemann KV (1992) Ultrafiltration membranes from PVDF/PMMA blends. J Membrane Sci 73: 25-35
  27. Shokri E, Yegani R, Heidari S, Shoeyb Z (2015) Effect of PE-g-MA compatibilizer on the structure and performance of HDPE/EVA blend membranes fabricated via TIPS method. Chem Eng Res Des 100: 237–247
  28. Zhang C, Bai Y, Sun Y, Gu J, Xu Y (2010) Preparation of hydrophilic HDPE porous membranes via thermally induced phase separation by blending of amphiphilic PE-b-PEG copolymer. J Membrane Sci 365: 216-224
  29. Gagnon DR, McCarthy TJ (1984) Polymer surface reconstruction by diffusion of organic functional groups from and to the surface. J Appl Polym Sci 29: 4335-4340
  30. Eriksson JC, Go¨lander CG, Baszkin A, Ter-minassian-saraga L (1984) Characterization of KMnO4/H2SO4-oxidized polyethylene surfaces by means of ESCA and Ca2+ adsorption. J Colloid Interf Sci 100: 381-392
  31. Catoire B, Bouriot P, Baszkin A, Ter-Minassian- Saraga L, Boissonnade M (1981) Polymer interface analysis by ESR spectra of Mn (II). J Colloid Interf Sci 79: 143-150
  32. Wang H, Chen S, Zhang J (2009) Surface treatment of LLDPE and LDPE blends by nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and chromic acid etching. Colloid Polym Sci 287: 541-548
  33. Jafarzadeh Y, Yegani R (2015) Analysis of fouling mechanisms in TiO2 embedded high density polyethylene membranes for collagen separation. Chem Eng Res Des 93: 684-22 695
  34. Jafarzadeh Y, Yegani R, Sedaghat M (2015) Preparation, characterization and fouling analysis of ZnO/polyethylene hybrid membranes for collagen separation. Chem Eng Res Des 94: 417- 427
  35. Yang Y-F, Wan L-S, Xu Z-K (2009) Surface hydrophilization for polypropylene microporous membranes: A facile interfacial crosslinking approach. J Membrane Sci 326: 372-381
  36. Shoushtari A, Malek R, Abdous M (2004) Effect of chemical oxidation treatment on dyeability of polypropylene. Dyes Pigments 63: 95-100
  37. Manual EG (1999) Alternative disinfectants and oxidants. Disinfectant use in water treatment, Washington DC
  38. Pavia D, Lampman G, Kriz G, Vyvyan J (2008) Introduction to spectroscopy, Cengage Learning.
  39. Sun H-X, Zhang L, Chai H, Chen H-L (2006) Surface modification of poly (tetrafluoroethylene) films via plasma treatment and graft copolymerization of acrylic acid. Desalination 192: 271-279
  40. Wang C, Chen J-r, Li R (2008) Studies on surface modification of poly (tetrafluoroethylene) film by remote and direct Ar plasma. Appl Surf Sci 254: 2882-2888
  41. Beale JM, Block J, Hill R (2010) Organic medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  42. Baszkin A, Nishino M, Ter-Minassian-Saraga L (1977) Solid-liquid adhesion of oxidized polyethylene films. Effect of temperature on polar forces. J Colloid Interf Sci 59: 516-524
  43. Andrade J, Ma S, King R, Gregonis D (1979) Contact angles at the solid—water interface. J Colloid Interf Sci 72: 488-494
  44. Holmes-Farley SR, Reamey RH, Nuzzo R, McCarthy TJ, Whitesides GM (1987) Reconstruction of the interface of oxidatively functionalized polyethylene and derivatives on heating. Langmuir 3: 799- 815
  45. Oláh A,Vancso GJ (2005) Characterization of adhesion at solid surfaces: Development of an adhesion-testing device. Eur Polym J 41: 2803- 2823
  46. Kim J, Chaudhury M (1999) Corona-discharge-induced hydrophobicity loss and recovery of silicones. In: Electrical insulation and dielectric phenomena. Annual report conference on IEEE
  47. Bodas D, Khan-Malek C (2007) Hydrophilization and hydrophobic recovery of PDMS by oxygen 25 plasma and chemical treatment-An SEM investigation. Sensor Actuator B-Chem123: 368- 373
  48. Maji D, Lahiri S, Das S (2012) Study of hydrophilicity and stability of chemically modified PDMS surface using piranha and KOH solution. Surf Interf Anal 44: 62-69
  49. Yang Q, Xu Z-K, Dai Z-W, Wang J-L, Ulbricht M (2005) Surface modification of polypropylene microporous membranes with a novel glycopolymer. Chem Maters 17: 3050-3058