Preparation and characterization of polysulfone/ammonia-functionalized graphene oxide composite membrane material. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ionita, Mariana; Pandele, Andreea Madalina; Crica, Livia Elena; Obreja, Alexandru Cosmin
• Is Part Of: High performance polymers. Volume 28:Number 2(2016)
• Page Start: 181
• Page End: 188
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: Polysulfone -- ammonia-functionalized graphene oxide -- nanocomposite -- membrane material -- mechanical strength; Polymerization -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; 547.7
• DOI: 10.1177/0954008315576233
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-0083

Abstract

The study highlights the first use of ammonia-functionalized graphene oxide (GO-NH2 ) as an additive to enhance the features of polysulfone (PSF) matrix. Composite membrane materials with different ratios of GO-NH2 (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 wt%) were obtained by phase inversion method. Subsequently structural and morphological characteristics were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Lastly, mechanical and thermogravimetric studies were performed in order to establish whether GO-NH2 addition influenced PSF/GO-NH2 composite material performance. Raman spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM revealed evenly dispersed GO-NH2 within PSF/GO-NH2 composite membrane material forming exfoliated structures for lower concentration of GO-NH2 . An enhancement in both mechanical and thermal characteristics was attained. The decomposition temperature at which the mass loss is 3%, of the composite membrane material with 1 wt% GO-NH2 was increased with 7°C. Conversely, an increase in Young's modulus from 246 MPa to 285 MPa was achieved with the addition of 1 wt% GO-NH2 within the PSF matrix.