| Abstract: | Cu(OH)_2 nanowires were prepared and incorporated into poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF) to fabricate Cu(OH)_2-PVDF ultrafiltration(UF) membrane via immersion precipitation phase inversion process. The effect of Cu(OH)_2 nanowires on the morphology of membranes was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy(AFM), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and X-ray diffraction(XRD) measurements. The results showed that all the Cu(OH)_2-PVDF membranes had wider fingerlike pore structure and better hydrophilicity, smoother surface than pristine PVDF membrane due to the incorporation of Cu(OH)_2 nanowires. In addition, water flux and bovine serum albumin(BSA) rejection were also measured to investigate the filtration performance of membranes. The results indicated that all the Cu(OH)_2-PVDF membranes had high water flux, outstanding BSA rejection and excellent antifouling properties. It is worth mentioning that the optimized performance could be obtained when the Cu(OH)_2 nanowires content reached 1.2 wt%. Furthermore, the membrane with 1.2 wt% Cu(OH)_2 nanowires showed outstanding oil-water emulsion separation capability. |
