Efficiency of polymer/nanocarbon-based nanocomposite membranes in water treatment techniques

Abstract

Membrane technology has been employed as one of the powerful techniques for water treatment. Traditional membrane systems face several challenges such as limited water permeability, high operating costs, high energy, and chemical consumption. Nanocarbon have been considered as promising candidates for high performance functional nanocomposite materials systems. Particularly, polymer/nanocarbon nanocomposites have gained research attention owing to exceptional thermal stability, mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, and other indispensable structural features. This review basically addresses an important category of water treatment membranes i.e. polymeric nanocomposite membranes. Here, research progress accomplished using polymeric nanocomposite membranes with graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotube, and carbon quantum dot nanoadditives have been conversed. Polymer/graphene, polymer/graphene oxide, and polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposite membranes have found potential for the filtration of several pollutants and nanospecies. Significant efforts have been dedicated towards the development of high performance modified nanocomposite membranes by means of polymer and nanocarbon nanoparticle to attain substantial salt rejection, toxic metal removal, water flux, and antifouling properties. However, optimum membrane design and nanofiller aspects need to be optimized to avoid membrane fouling, high energy demands, low salt rebuff, water flux, and decontamination. Succinctly, nanocarbon-assisted membranes may provide one of the most promising tools to solve global water crisis.

Keywords:

• Nanocomposite membrane
• graphene
• carbon nanotube
• water flux

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.