Integral membrane from PSF/PVA quaternized chitosan cross-linked with RHA silica powder for Li/Mg separation / Nur Syazwanie Izzati Chik

Membrane separation technology is one of the most effective methods to recover Li+from salt-lake brine. Due to its high competition with Mg2+, a new technique known as quaternization process is applied in membrane technology to develop a positively charged membrane which scientifically proven can separate high valent cation and low valent cation. The technique of quaternization required grafting quarternary ammonium groups, which serves as the positive charge carriers, onto the polymer chain. In this study, chitosan was quaternized with chlorohydroxypropyl trimethylammoniumchloride (CHTAC) to formulate positively charge membrane. The quaternized chitosan(QCS) was then blended with polysulfone/polyvinyl alcohol and rice husk ash silica(RHAS) powder where the RHAS powder acted as a cross-linking agent.