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Abstract
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In recent decades, ultrafiltration (UF) technology has attracted a growing attention in the treatment of macromolecules and drinking water purification due to the advantages such as low energy consumption, lack of phase change and ease of design [1]. Besides the mentioned advantages, a major limitation of UF membranes is flux decline due to membrane fouling, which is caused by undesirable adsorption and sedimentation of foulants onto the membrane surface or into pores. The main influencing factors in the fouling of a membrane are its surface properties like roughness and hydrophilicity. The most important methods used to reduce the membrane fouling can be attributed to increase its hydrophilicity by addition of another hydrophilic polymer to the membrane-forming polymer, stabilization of polymers containing hydrophilic groups on the membrane surface, chemical modification of membrane polymers, and incorporation of inorganic nanoparticles in the membrane structure [2]. Among the methods mentioned, the use of inorganic nanoparticles in membrane structure has received much attention due to its high performance and ease of application with conventional membrane fabrication methods. In this study, CdTiO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method and used for modification of polyethersulfone UF membranes. The CdTiO3 was used as a hydrophilic additive to improve the antifouling properties of the membrane. The membranes fabricated using phase inversion method and different concentrations of the CdTiO3 dispersed in the casting solution of the membranes. In the presence of 0.1 wt% CdTiO3, the water flux reached a maximum of 306 L / m2.h while this parameter was 204 L / m2.h in the bare membrane. All modified membranes had a higher flux recovery ratio (FRR) than bare membrane.
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