Fabrication and Charge Modification of Ceramic Membranes Using Copper Nanoparticles for Desalination

Ceramic membranes are considered as alternatives for their polymeric counterparts due to highmechanical strength and thermal resistance; thus long lifetime. Usually, asymmetric ceramicmembranes are synthesized including several layers with different pore size distributionswith the top-layer playing the main separation role. Titania has several properties such asphotocatalytic activity and chemical stability making it sutitable as an option for the top-layer.This study is devoted to the preparation and characterization of a ceramic membrane, dipcoatingof mesoporous interlayers and preparation of a microporous anatase top-layer viasol-gel technique. Moreover, the performance of the membrane modified by nano-copperisinvestigated for salt rejection enhancement. Membranes were characterized by FE-SEM andX-ray diffraction. The sol particle size was determined using DLS. Cross-flow filtration setupwas used for membrane permeability and salt retention experiments. Membrane top-layershowed crystal structures including rutile and anatase phases. By increasing salt concentration,chloride rejection is decreased and retention is increased by increasing the pressure. In case ofmodified membranes using nano-copper, higher retentions are observed, with 35% rejectionfor NaCl and 73% for Na2SO4.