Increased performance and antifouling of mixed-matrix membranes of cellulose acetate with hydrophilic nanoparticles of polydopamine-sulfobetaine methacrylate for oil-water separation

Emerging technologies for treating oily wastewater employ ultrafiltration membranes that incorporate hydrophilic nanoparticles for enhanced effectiveness and efficiency. In this study, cellulose acetate (CA) mixed-matrix membranes with zwitterionic nanoparticles—polydopamine-sulfobetaine methacrylate or P(DA-SBMA)—were fabricated through wet-phase inversion. The ratio of SBMA to DA monomers was varied to alter the size of P(DA-SBMA)...