Preparation of poly(vinylidene fluoride) membranes with graphene oxide addition for natural organic matter removal

In recent years, various modifications have been proposed to improve membrane performance. In this study, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes containing different concentrations of graphene oxide (GO) as an additive were prepared via a phase inversion method. It was observed that the antifouling property of the prepared membranes was greatly enhanced by the addition of GO, so higher fluxes could be maintained during permeation. However, over adding GO has a negative impact on membrane flux. The effect of GO on fabricated membranes flux and the removal of natural organic matter (NOM) was investigated in detail. Permeate water was analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA), molecular weight distribution (MWD) and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs). The results show that NOM removal was improved by GO addition to a certain extent and that the 0.5 wt% GO composite membrane performed best. PVDF membranes with GO added still have noteworthy usability in applications coupled with other processes because permeate flux and antifouling property improved significantly without sacrificing removal rate.