(374c) Formation of Activated Carbon/Polymer Bilayer Membranes By Solution Electrospraying for Water Purification

Hybrid membrane processes utilizing activated carbon treatment and membrane filtration have recently attracted attention from researchers due to their overall improved performance over each individual step. However, hybrid processes still possess weaknesses associated with both activated carbon adsorption and membrane separation, such as fouling and attrition. We present a novel method where activated carbon/polymer bilayer membranes are fabricated, inspired by hybrid membrane processes, as a single filtration unit by solution electrospraying. This method is expected to potentially increase throughput by forming surface pores on otherwise dense membranes, while adding adsorption capacity with a layer of embedded activated carbon. The fabrication process, membranes’ properties, and their water purification performance are described.