ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Fabrication of low-cost USPER nanocomposite membrane for oil/seawater separation

Manathunainathan Veeramani, Krishnamohan Sundaramoorthy, and Anbarasan Ramasamy

Department of Mechanical Engineering, E.G.S. Pillay Engineering College, Nagapattinam, India

E-mail: manathunai.nathan@gmail.com

Received: 30 June 2023  Accepted: 30 November 2023

Abstract:

For water purification, various methods are employed nowadays. Among them, filtration is a simple methodology using a membrane. A membrane requires porosity, good mechanical properties, antimicrobial properties, etc. Moreover, the cost of the membrane should be very low. The main target of the present research work is fabrication of low-cost membrane for oil/seawater separation. With the help of egg shell (ES) or Caesalpinia pulcherrima seed shell (CPSS) as a reinforcing agent and nanosand as a usual filler, methylethylketone peroxide at 32 °C was used to create a light weight, non-corrosive unsaturated polyester resin (USPER) with superior mechanical properties. Several mechanical (kinetics) and thermal testing devices were used to evaluate the USPER nanocomposite that had been created. The experimental findings demonstrated that mechanical characteristics increased proportionately as the percentage of nanosand rose. The FM of USPER rose by 107.2% at a nanosand weight loading of 4.5%. On the surface of USPER, cavities could be seen in the SEM image. The thermal studies showed increase in T_d of USPER in the presence of reinforcing and filling agents than their absent. Utilizing a phase inversion technique prepared USPER nanocomposite membrane, the effectiveness of the oil/seawater separation process was assessed. The oil/seawater separation efficiency was calculated at different vacuum level. It was found that under high vacuum the separation efficiency was increased. Further, its durability in terms of number of cycles of operation was also tested. The ES-reinforced and nanosand-filled USPER exhibited an excellent oil/seawater separation efficiency. The efficiency of simultaneous desalination was also calculated.

Graphical abstract

Keywords: USPER/sand nanocomposites; Reinforcing agents; Flexural modulus; Water contact angle; Oil/seawater separation

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-023-03247-8

Chemical Papers 78 (4) 2397–2413 (2024)