Preliminary chemical properties study on addition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles into double layer polysulfone substrate for desalination process / Siti Nur Syakila Zulaikha Shahabuddin

As the global population continues to grow, the demand for freshwater resources is increasing. Desalination has become an essential method for obtaining potable water with substrate technology playing a crucial role due to its efficiency, low energy consumption and chemical resistance. In this study, a double-layered polysulfone (PSf) substrate incorporated with 0.02% titanium dioxide (TiO?) nanoparticles was fabricated and tested for its chemical stability in desalination applications. The substrate was prepared using 15% polysulfone (PSf), 5% polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and 84.5% N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), with 0.02% TiO? nanoparticles added to enhance performance. The substrate's resistance to 1M sulfuric acid (H2SO4), 1M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and 0.1M potassium permanganate (KMnO4) was observed and evaluated over a period of five days. Experimental results indicate that the membrane exhibited strong stability in both acidic and basic conditions that showing minimal physical and structural changes. However, exposure to KMnO4 caused significant degradation and confirming that oxidative agents have a severe impact on substrate structure. The study concludes that TiO2-modified polysulfone substrate offer enhanced durability in extreme pH conditions but require further improvements to resist oxidative degradation. Based on these findings, it is recommended that future studies explore alternative polymer blends or surface modifications to enhance oxidation resistance. Additionally, optimizing TiO2 concentration and dispersion methods could further improve substrate performance. Extending the exposure duration and testing under real desalination conditions are also suggested to better simulate long-term applications. These improvements would contribute to the development of more durable and efficient substrate for water treatment and desalination applications.