Preparation of PES/bio-ceramic hydroxyapatite (N-HAp) membranes using TamiSolve NxG as a sustainable solvent for copper and iron removal

Novel PES/bio-ceramic hydroxyapatite (N-HAp) mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were prepared using TamiSolve NxG as a sustainable solvent via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technique. The biomaterial N-HAp, derived from waste fish bones, was loaded at different concentrations from 0.5 to 3 wt% to ensure enhanced membranes performance with poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a pore former agent. The obtained membranes were then characterized in terms of morphology, thickness, porosity, pore size, contact angle and mechanical resistance. The evaluation of the membrane performance was based on pure water permeability and the retention of heavy metals (copper and iron). The results demonstrated that the addition of N-HAp improved the hydrophilic properties of the membranes. The modified membrane exhibited a higher pure water permeability up to 534.64 L/m2 h bar (M-6) respect to the pure PES membrane (M-1). High separation efficiency of around 93 % and 64 % for Cu2+ and Fe2+ ions, respectively, were obtained for the membranes containing N-HAp. The findings indicated the viability of N-HAp as a sustainable additive in the fabrication of MMMs.