Performance improvement of polyethersulfone membranes with Ti3AlCN MAX phase in the treatment of organic and inorganic pollutants

In this work, the hydrophobic polyethersulfone (PES) membrane was modified by incorporating Ti 3 AlCN MAX phase. Synthesis of Ti 3 AlCN MAX phase was performed using the reactive sintering method. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed a 3D compressed layered morphology for the synthesized MAX phase. The Ti 3 AlCN MAX phase was added to the casting solution, and the mixed-matrix membranes were fabricated by the non-solvent induced phase inversion method. The performance and antifouling features of bare and modified membranes were explored by pure water flux, flux recovery ratio ( FRR), and fouling resistance parameters. Through the modification of membranes by introducing the Ti 3 AlCN MAX phase, the enhancement of these features was observed, in which the membrane containing 1 wt% of MAX phase showed 17.7 L/m 2 .h.bar of permeability and 98.6% for FRR . Also, the separation efficiency of all membranes was evaluated by rejecting organic and inorganic pollutants. The Ti 3 AlCN MAX membranes could reject 96%, 95%, and 88% of reactive blue 50, Rose Bengal, and azithromycin antibiotics, respectively, as well as 98%, 80%, 86%, and 36% of Pb 2+ , As 5+ , Na 2 SO 4, and NaCl, respectively. Finally, the outcomes indicated the Ti 3 AlCN MAX phase was an excellent and efficient novel additive for modifying the PES membrane.