Development of negatively charged polyether sulfone membrane enriched with MIL-101(Cr)-modified magnetic activated pyrolytic coke for enhanced dye removal, permeability, and antifouling properties

Developing high-performance nanofiltration membranes for effectively treating wastewater contaminated with organic pollutants has become increasingly important. Given the hazardous nature of these contaminants, proper treatment of wastewater is crucial before it is released into natural water bodies. This study synthesized a novel composite membrane by incorporating Fe3O4@APC@MIL-101(Cr) nanocomposites into a polyether sulfone (PES) matrix using a phase inversion technique. The inclusion of 0.5 wt% Fe3O4@APC@MIL-101(Cr) significantly enhanced the membrane's hydrophilicity, porosity, and surface characteristics. The optimized membrane achieved an impressive pure water flux (PWF) of 90.24 L/m²h, reflecting a 400 % improvement over pristine PES membranes. Moreover, it exhibited excellent rejection rates of 97.21 % for crystal violet (CV) and 99.43 % for methylene blue (MB), alongside a rejection efficiency of 57.73 % for the anionic dye methyl orange (MO). The antifouling performance was notably improved, as evidenced by an increase in the flux recovery ratio (FRR) from 45.95 % for bare PES membranes to 81.11 % for hybrid membranes. Additionally, the effects of various salt types on the membrane's separation performance were investigated. The Fe3O4@APC@MIL-101(Cr) modified PES membranes demonstrate significant potential as effective candidates for treating wastewater contaminated with dye pollutants. [Display omitted] •The Fe3O4@APC@MIL-101 (Cr) nanocomposite was used to modify the PES membrane.•Pure water flux of 90.24 L/m²h at 0.5 wt% nanoparticles, 400 % better than pristine PES.•Flux recovery ratio increased from 46 % to 81.11 % with 0.5 wt% hybrid membrane.•The membrane's reduced surface roughness improved antifouling properties.•The 0.5 wt% hybrid membrane rejected 97.21 % of CV, 99.43 % of MB, and 57.73 % of MO.