Performance evaluation of polysulfone-based membranes produced with a green solvent

Finding eco-friendly solvents that can replace conventional toxic ones (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and dimethylacetamide) in the production of polymeric membranes is of great interest. In this study, membranes were produced using the phase inversion technique using polysulfone, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and Cyrene—a recently developed solvent, whose physicochemical profile is comparable to conventional ones, but is biodegradable, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. The resulting membranes were characterized regarding their morphological and structural properties, permeation performance, rejection of reference solutes and an emerging contaminant, and antifouling performance. Scanning electron microscopy, contact angle determination, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and filtration tests were accomplished for that. It was possible to use Cyrene to produce polysulfone-based membranes, in which the one with 5% polyvinylpyrrolidone was the membrane with the highest permeability. Conversely, the membrane without polyvinylpyrrolidone and with a 30-min heat treatment achieved 73% rejection of the emerging contaminant evaluated.

Graphical Abstract