ENHANCING HYDROPHILICITY OF POLYSULFONE MEMBRANE SURFACE BY UV IRRADIATION OF DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS AND BY PEG GRAFTING

Abstract

Polysulfone polymer (PSF) membrane has disadvantages due to its hydrophobicity, which may cause fouling and reduce separation performance. Therefore, this study aimed to enhance the hydrophilicity of PSF membranes by using irradiation at different ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths, followed by Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) grafting on the PSF surfaces. The hydrophilicity of the treated membrane surfaces was examined by measuring water contact angle (WCA), surface energy (SE), surface morphology, functional groups, salt rejection, and water flux in a filtration instrument. The results show that with long UV treatment for up to 72 h, the 312 nm wavelength gave lesser WCA than treatment at 254 nm. The treated PSF membrane irradiated at 312 nm for 72 h, followed by PEG grafting, was effectively improved and retained increased hydrophilicity for up to thirty days.