Development of a novel composite membrane combining polystyrene, polypyrrole, and salian for enhanced scaling prevention in water filtration applications

Abstract

A novel composite membrane, comprising polystyrene, polypyrrole, and salian (PSPPY-Sa), was developed through the electro spinning technique to enhance scaling inhibition in water filtration systems. The characterization of the membrane was conducted using FTIR, XRD, and TGA measurements. An extensive study was performed to evaluate the impact of varying salian loadings, ranging from 0 to 20 weight percent, on both the morphological properties and the scaling inhibition performance. To evaluate the anti-scaling properties of the membrane, accelerated scaling tests were performed with a 2000 ppm CaSO₄ solution, filtering a synthetic scaling solution. Morphological assessments revealed a uniform distribution of salian microdomains across the fibrous surface of the PSPPY-Sa membrane. Notably, the incorporation of salian at 20% loading achieved a 95% reduction in scale formation, demonstrating superior performance compared to pristine or singly modified membranes. The PSPPY-Sa membrane also demonstrated remarkable thermal stability, underscoring its potential for effective scaling inhibition in water filtration applications.