Elevating oil-in-water emulsion separation: Unleashing the power of exfoliated graphitic carbon nitride composite membranes

Abstract

The current study describes composite membranes that utilise exfoliated graphitic carbon nitride (Eg-C₃N₄) as a promising membrane additive for oily-water separation, owing to its hydrophilic nature and high functionality. The integrated membranes have been discovered to have outstanding properties when Eg-C₃N₄ is used as a composite material in polysulphone (PSf) membranes. The study provides provide insights into the usage of such nanosheets to achieve good chemical interaction with the membrane matrix, enabling both Eg-C₃N₄ and PSf synergistic characteristics. The well-planned exfoliated g-C₃N₄-PSf composite demonstrated promising oil-water separation with an oil rejection capacity of >99 %. Furthermore, these exfoliated laminar planes interacted well with the polymer, resulting in membranes that were both thermally and mechanically stable. The membrane also has a high porosity range of 46.13 % to 76.03 % and a high-water uptake range of 42.23 + 1.68 % to 71.34 + 1.24 %, which explains the membrane's enhanced hydrophilicity and appropriate oily-water treatment capacity. Furthermore, the addition of Eg-C₃N₄ lowers surface roughness, which explains for the great antifouling capacity exhibited by the composite membrane, demonstrating a remarkable flux recovery ratio of about 99.1 % with no compromise in oil rejection during subsequent cycles.