Tailoring Polysulfone Membranes With Surface‐Modified Silica for Efficient Separation of Oily Water

ABSTRACT The aim of the work was to understand the influence of acrylamide grafted silica (Am‐g‐silica) on the morphology and filtration efficiency of polysulfone (PSf) based membranes. The silica is modified using a surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP) technique using acrylamide. Different characterization techniques are used to study membrane properties and filtration capability, including FE‐SEM, contact angle, porosity determination, anti‐fouling characteristic assessment, and filtering experiments with pure and oily water. The results indicate an enhancement of permeability of the PSf membrane with the incorporation of Am‐g‐silica. An improved permeate flux (168.16 ± 11.55 Lm −2 h −1 ) and pure water flux (440.62 ± 23.11 Lm −2 h −1 ) as well as oil rejection of more than 92.8% ± 0.45% was observed at the optimal composition of 8 wt. % Am‐g‐silica. These enhancements can be ascribed to the enhanced porosity (63.12%) and decreased contact angle (56.76°). In summary, PSf/Am‐g‐silica membranes demonstrate improved membrane performance, including higher water flux, oil permeation and rejection, and fouling resistance, making them a promising method for oily water treatment applications.