Preparation and characterization of ZrO2/PES hybrid ultrafiltration membrane with uniform ZrO2 nanoparticles

•ZrO2/PES hybrid membranes with uniform ZrO2 nanoparticles were prepared.•The strategy is to combine ion exchange with immersion precipitation process.•The ZrO2 nanoparticles were well dispersed throughout PES matrix.•The hybrid PES membranes demonstrate improved separation performances.

In current or next-generation reuse systems, the development of new classes of antifouling membranes is needed before viable membrane-based approaches for wastewater reclamation can be achieved. In this study, ZrO2/PES hybrid ultrafiltration membranes with uniform ZrO2 nanoparticles were prepared by combining an ion-exchange process with a traditional immersion precipitation process. Hydrous ZrO2 sol was synthesized by addition of anion-exchange resin in N,N-dimethylformamide solvent containing zirconyl chloride. Homogeneous ZrO2/PES casting solution was then obtained by dissolving PES polymer in the ZrO2 sol. The existence and dispersion states of ZrO2 nanoparticles in the resultant membrane matrix were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The results indicate that the ZrO2 nanoparticles were well dispersed throughout the PES matrix and the diameter of the formed nanoparticles was about 5–10 nm. The hydrophilicity of the membranes was determined by measuring the contact angles. The antifouling property was determined by antifouling experiments and atomic force microscopy. The results confirm that the existence of ZrO2 nanoparticles improves the hydrophilicity and reduces protein adsorption of membranes.