GO/Fe3O4 and Ag-GO/Fe3O4 based magnetically active membranes for enhanced rejection and antifouling properties
Hafsa Ilyas, Syeda Huma H. Zaidi
, Salwa D. Al-Malwi, Muhammad Yasir, Muhammad Usman, Seemab Parvaiz, Muhammad Siddiq
, Salwa D. Al-Malwi, Muhammad Yasir, Muhammad Usman, Seemab Parvaiz, Muhammad SiddiqVol. 19., No.10., Pages 1038-1052, 2025
DOI: 10.3144/expresspolymlett.2025.78
DOI: 10.3144/expresspolymlett.2025.78
Corresponding author: Muhammad Siddiq 
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
Magnetically active membranes based on GO/Fe3O4and Ag-GO/Fe3O4have been synthesized via the resin-infiltration technique, achieving significant improvements in rejection and antifouling properties, followed by their characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-rays spectroscopy (EDX) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The increasing demand for efficient water purification technologies is challenged by low separation efficiency, poor resistance to fouling, and limited tunability in dynamic environments, as well as low rejection performance. This study addresses the research gap by developing and evaluating GO/Fe3O4and Ag-GO/Fe3O4membranes to enhance water treatment performance through improved rejection rates and antifouling capabilities. It exhibits separation efficiency, fouling resistance, and high thermomechanical stability with the added advantage of magnetic responsiveness – a combination that addresses multiple persistent issues in membrane-based water treatment. GO/Fe3O4 and Ag-GO/Fe3O4 improved the flux recovery ratio of pristine PVDF-co-HFP membrane from 50.8 to 89.9 and 92.3%, while the rejection % of paraquat (PQ) herbicide increased up to 92.7%. This research is important because magnetically active membranes do not need external magnetic fields to move the magnetic particles to the membrane’s surface.
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