Investigation of chemical properties between single and double layer polysulfone substrate membrane for desalination process / Nur Aina Syazwina Mazlan

Nowadays, earth population continues to grow and having limited freshwater resources. As the population continues to grow, the demand for freshwater will increase significantly. Research shows renewable sources such as oceans can offer an alternative source of potable water through desalination process using reverse osmosis. Based on previous studies, membrane technology is a preferred method used for water treatment due to its efficiency, low energy consumption, resistance to high pH and harsh chemicals, their ability to remove water pollutants and simple operation. For this study, polysulfone was used for desalination due to its salt rejection properties and chemical stability. Polysulfone membranes were fabricated with a mixture of 15% polysulfone (PSf), 5% polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and 84.5% N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). In this study, acid, base and oxidation agent are used to evaluate the performance and stability of the polysulfone substrate. The acid, base and oxidation agents used in this study was 1M Sulfuric acid (H2SO4), 1M Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and 0.5M Potassium permanganate (KMnO4). Based on the experiment, it was observed that the substrate has no change for both single layer and double layer in acid and base condition. It is because polysulfone membrane has strong properties against acid and base, good chemical stability and can tolerate a wide pH range. But for oxidation agents, it damages both single layer and double layer substrates and make it less durable. It is because KMnO4 is more reactive than acid and alkali. Enhancing its ability to damage polysulfone substrates. In conclusion, this study shows polysulfone substrates are more durable in acidic and basic conditions rather than oxidizing agents.