Novel composite membrane based on recycled low-density polyethylene-alumina used for vacuum membrane distillation

Abstract

Plastic materials have a significant impact on the entire environment. Very relevant ideas in different areas with the aim of enhancing these materials and making them effective in our daily lives. In this context, our work in this article by using plastic materials in the manufacture of hydrophobic membranes realized in our Laboratory LEEP Enig Gabes Tunisia, followed by various analyses. These membranes are made of a Recycled Low-Density Polyethylene polymer by means of the Thermal Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) method by using solvents such as Butyl Acetate, non-solvent Hexane with the addition of Alumina at different concentrations to increase porosity. Hydrophobic membranes are coupled to the vacuum still to test their performance. An analytical study by FTIR was done. Contact angle, pore size, porosity, mechanical test, bubble point pressure, AFM and SEM analysis. The results revealed that the addition of alumina had an important role in improving the structure, properties and therefore the performance of the membrane. The membrane already prepared admits according to the analyzes tested a good porosity, hydrophobicity.