Disc ceramic membrane modified with nano-TiO2 for separating oil-water emulsion under dynamic membrane filtration

A disc ceramic membrane was modified nano-TiO2 via an impregnation and in-situ hydrolysis method, resulting in the generation of nano-TiO2 particles on the surface and inside the pores of disc ceramic membrane. The uniform distribution of nano-TiO2 enhanced the superior hydrophilic property of the membrane surface, and improved pure water flux and increased anti-fouling capacity. The modified disc ceramic membrane was employed to effectively separate stable oil-water emulsions under dynamic membrane filtration mode. Here, the preparation process of nano-TiO2 and operational parameters of equipment on the separation efficiency of the modified disc ceramic membrane were investigated. The findings indicate that an increase in the permeability and separation rate of the modified disc ceramic membrane. Moreover, the modified disc ceramic membrane maintained a steady flux for a continuous separation time of 120-minutes at a TMP of 0.04 MPa. The rejection rate of oil-water emulsion also reached 99.9%. The excellent performance of the modified disc ceramic membrane was ascribed to the nano-TiO2 modification and the dynamic membrane filtration applied together to alleviate membrane fouling, leading to improve the oil-water separation efficiency and permeate flux. This study presents a new technique for the separation of oil-water emulsions with high concentration, achieving outstanding separation stability and cost-effectiveness.