Synthesis of citric acid-crosslinked chitosan membrane with zeolite filler and its application as Cu(II) ion separation membrane

Heavy metal is a pollutant material that can harm the environment, especially Cu(II) metal. Various innovations have been made to remove Cu(II), one of which this by using chitosan membrane technology. However, chitosan has limited functional groups and is less porous. To overcome this weakness, cross-link modification was carried out with citric acid and the addition of zeolite. This study aims to synthesize and characterize citrate crosslinked chitosan membrane with zeolite filler and to determine the effectiveness of the membrane as Cu(II) ion separation membrane. The method used in this study is the phase inversion with the procedures a) zeolite activation, (b) chitosan crosslinking citrate with zeolite addition, (c) membrane printing, (d) membrane transport, (e) physicochemical test. The FTIR results showed the presence of a secondary amide at a wavenumber of 1653 cm−1. Modification of chitosan membrane can increase the thickness and weight, porosity, and hydrophilicity of the membrane. However, the addition of zeolite reduces water absorption and swelling. Based on this research, the best membrane for adsorbing Cu(II) ions is the Z0.25 membrane with a percentage of separation of 48.15% and a rejection percentage of 99.26%.