Development and Characterization of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Incorporated with Bamboo Nanocellulose/Graphene/Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposite Membrane for Dye Wastewater Treatment
| dc.contributor.author | Ain Zaienah Sueraya | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-06-15T08:24:42Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026 | |
| dc.description | The increasing global demand for clean water has intensified research into advanced membrane technologies for water purification and wastewater treatment. While polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes are widely recognized for their mechanical strength and chemical stability, their practical application is often limited by low permeability, insufficient dye rejection efficiency, and high fouling tendencies. To address these challenges, this study investigates the incorporation of functional nanomaterials including graphene (GR), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), and bamboo-derived nanocellulose (NC) into PVDF membranes to enhance their structural, chemical, and filtration properties. Three nanocomposite membranes were fabricated via the phase inversion method using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as the solvent with PVDF as the polymer which are GR/NC, GR/TiO₂, and GR/NC/TiO₂ nanocomposite membranes. Each formulation was subjected to comprehensive characterization using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (FESEM-EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. In the first part of the study, the study evaluates the GR/NC nanocomposite membranes. The membrane with the formulation of 20 wt% GR and 80 wt% NC achieved a remarkable water flux of 435.15 ± 1.73 L/m².h.bar approximately four times greater than that of pristine PVDF (110.87 ± 2.50 L/m².h.bar) along with the highest methylene blue (MB) dye removal efficiency of 94.47% (± 0.18). The superior dispersion of NC contributed to enhanced structural integrity and fouling resistance, leading to improved membrane reusability. The second part of the study focused on GR/TiO₂ nanocomposite membranes. The membrane with the formulation of 80 wt% GR and 20 wt% NC demonstrated optimal performance, with a sponge-like morphology and uniform nanoparticle distribution. XRD and FTIR v analyses confirmed that PVDF crystallinity was preserved while TiO₂ crystallinity was suppressed, enhancing membrane hydrophilicity. This ratio resulted in the highest water permeability and MB dye rejection alongside excellent antifouling behaviour compared to other ratios. The final phase of the study evaluated a nanocomposite membrane composed of bamboo nanocellulose, graphene, and TiO₂ (NC/GR/TiO₂). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images revealed a highly porous and interconnected network structure with homogeneously distributed nanomaterials. XRD patterns indicated modified PVDF crystallinity with reduced peak intensity, suggesting structural modification. This membrane achieved the highest overall water flux of 512.76 L/m².h.bar and a strong dye rejection rate of 92.13%, significantly surpassing the pristine PVDF membrane (109.48 L/m²·h·bar and 54.28% rejection, respectively). While its dye removal was slightly lower than the GR/NC membrane, its antifouling test showed superior results with a flux recovery ratio (FRR) of 95.95% and sustained dye removal of 86.18% after one reuse cycle. Therefore, the synergistic integration of bamboo-derived nanocellulose, graphene, and titanium dioxide significantly improves the permeability, dye removal efficiency, antifouling properties, and reusability of PVDF membranes. Among the three formulations, the GR/NC membrane achieved the highest dye removal, while the NC/GR/TiO₂ membrane demonstrated the best overall performance balance, particularly in terms of permeability and fouling resistance. These findings highlight the promising potential of renewable nanomaterials like bamboo nanocellulose in the development of highly efficient and sustainable membranes for the treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://scholarhub.unimas.my/handle/123456789/873 | |
| dc.language.iso | English | |
| dc.publisher | Universiti Malaysia Sarawak | |
| dc.relation.ispartofseries | Faculty of Engineering | |
| dc.subject | Nanocomposite membrane, nanocellulose, graphene, titanium dioxide, polyvinylidene fluoride, water purification | |
| dc.title | Development and Characterization of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Incorporated with Bamboo Nanocellulose/Graphene/Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposite Membrane for Dye Wastewater Treatment | |
| dc.type | Masters |