Desalination performance of thin-film composite forward osmosis membranes based on different carbon nanomaterials

The incorporation of nanomaterials in thin film composite (TFC) has provided a new way to increase the permeability of the forward osmosis membrane during the desalination of water. In this research graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was prepared and introduced into a polyamide layer to form TFC membrane via interfacial polymerization reaction. The properties of the membranes were characterized by using ATR- FTIR, SEM and water contact angle measurements. The obtained results illustrated that a TFC-FO membrane doped with GO (0.7wt%) has a high water flux (27.15 L m-2h-1) while membrane doped with rGO (0.5wt%) exhibits water flux (24.05 L m-2h-1), and the membrane doped with MWCNT (0.5wt%) has water flux (21.67 L m-2h-1) compared with pure membrane with water flux of (10.24 L m-2h-1).