Alteration of the morphology of polyvinylidene fluoride membrane by incorporating MOF-199 nanomaterials for improving water permeation with antifouling and antibacterial property

MOF-199@PVDF composite membranes are prepared by blending with different amounts of ultrasonic synthesized MOF-199 nanomaterials for improving the pure water flux (PWF) and achieving better antifouling and antibacterial performance. The membrane morphology, elemental composition, and surface properties are analyzed by various means of characterizations, including scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurements. The performance of the modified membranes is also determined from the perspective of the PWF, bovine serum albumin rejection, as well as antifouling and antibacterial properties. Due to the variation in the viscosity of dope solution, the composite membranes possess remarkably different morphology, and the M5 membrane, which exhibited a sponge-like structure, the largest surface pore size, and the highest porosity, shows the highest PWF, reaching up to 185.05 L/m²h. Moreover, with the incorporation of MOF-199 nanocrystals, the antifouling property, together with the antibacterial property, toward both gram-negative bacteria and gram-positive bacteria, based on M5 and M7 membranes, increases dramatically compared with the pristine polyvinylidene fluoride membrane. In addition, the long-term permeation performance and copper leakage of the membrane are investigated. As a result, the composite membrane, M5, shows great potential in real water treatment.