Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 1 (2017): 221 - 230

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2101-26

 

 

 

POLYETHERSULFONE/PLURONIC F127 BLENDED NANOFILTRATION MEMBRANES FOR XYLITOL PURIFICATION

 

(Membran Penurasan-Nano Campuran Polietersulfon/Pluronik F127 untuk Penulinan Xilitol)

 

Khalefa A. Faneer^1,2, Rosiah Rohani¹*, Abdul Wahab Mohammad¹

 

¹Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment,

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

²Department of Environment Engineering,

High Institute for Comprehensive Professions, Bent Baya, Wadi Al-Ajal, Libya.

 

*Corresponding author: rosiah@ukm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 21 October 2015; Accepted: 14 June 2016

 

 

Abstract

Obtaining high purity of xylitol is a stone corner in medicine industries. Many conventional techniques (crystallization and adsorption) were used for xylitol purification from fermentation media. Recently, membrane technology received a great attention due to its high performance in xylitol purification. Among renowned copolymers used for polymer blending to produce membranes, pluronic is receiving much attention due to its strong hydrophilic characteristic and could work as pore former and surface modifier. Polyethersulfone (PES) polymer has been reportedly used for polymer blending as it possesses mechanical and chemical stabilities. Therefore, this work demonstrates the preparation of nanofiltration (NF) membrane using: (1) PES and (2) PES blended with 1.71% and 5% of Pluronic (F127), via phase inversion method. All fabricated membranes were subjected to investigations such as contact angle for hydrophilicity and water and solution flux for membrane performance. The findings showed increasing in water flux from 24.6 L/m².h to 70.2 L/m².h as 5% of Pluronic added. Further, the hydrophilicity improved from 80.1 ± 1.93^o to 72 ±0.3^o and 67.6 ± 0.72^o when 1.71 and 5% of Pluronic F127 added respectively. Therefore, the addition of Pluronic f127 has a great impact on PES membrane for xylitol permeation.    

 

Keywords:  polyethersulfone, pluronic F127, xylitol, NF membrane, purification

 

Abstrak

Memperoleh ketulenan yang tinggi bagi xilitol merupakan salah satu batu loncatan di dalam industri perubatan. Terdapat banyak teknik konvensional (penghabluran dan penjerapan) yang telah digunakan untuk penulenan xilitol daripada media penapaian. Baru-baru ini, teknologi membran banyak menarik perhatian dengan prestasinya yang bagus dalam penulenan xilitol. Antara kopolimer yang sering digunakan untuk campuran polimer dalam penghasilan membran adalah pluronik yang telah menerima perhatian kerana sifat hidrofiliknya dan boleh membantu dalam pembentukan liang serta pengubahsuai permukaan membran. Polimer polietersulfon (PES) telah dilaporkan digunakan untuk polimer campuran kerana ia mempunyai kestabilan mekanikal dan kimia. Oleh itu, kerja ini menunjukkan penyediaan membran penurasan-nano (NF) menggunakan: (1) PES dan (2) PES dicampur dengan 1.71% dan 5% Pluronik (f127), melalui kaedah fasa songsangan. Kesemua membran yang dihasilkan dicirikan menggunakan sudut sentuhan untuk sifat hidrofilik dan fluks air serta larutan bagi prestasi membran. Hasil kajian menunjukkan peningkatan dalam fluks air daripada 24.6 L/m².h kepada 70.2 L/m².h apabila 5% Pluronik F127 ditambah. Selanjutnya, sifat hidrofilik membran bertambah baik iaitu daripada 80.1 ± 1.93^o kepada 72 ± 0.3^o dan 67.6 ± 0.72^o apabila 1.71 dan 5% Pluronik F127 ditambah. Didapati penambahan Pluronik F127 memberi kesan yang besar ke atas membran PES untuk penyerapan xilitol.

 

Kata kunci:  polietersulfon, pluronik F127, xylitol, membran NF, penulenan

 

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