Double layer PVDF blends PVDF‐HFP membrane with modified ZnO nanoparticles for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD)

Abstract In this work, the double layer (DL) polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) blends polyvinylidene hexafluoropropylene (PVDF‐HFP) membrane is prepared via the double casting phase inversion (DCPI) method. The PVDF blended PVDF‐HFP incorporation with ZnO nanoparticles is cast on the top layer of the membrane. The morphology of the fabricated membrane displays two layers of the membrane with different morphology, where the top layer is dense and no macrovoid form. Furthermore, the water contact angle increase due to the increment of perfluorinated polymer content in the top layer, which is 147°. Besides, the liquid entry pressure of water (LEPw) is 0.76 bar with average pore size of the top surface is 0.24 μm, while the bottom surface is 8 μm. The porosity of the DL PVDF blends PVDF‐HFP membrane do not have significant changes compared to the single layer (SL) membrane, with 87%. A stable flux of 6.14 L/m2h was achieved over the 6 h of operation of direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) lab‐scale unit. The DL membrane removes almost 99% salt.