Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing

<p>A key aspect of advancing sustainable membrane technology is to source eco-friendly polymers, such as recycled plastic waste, use renewable plant-based solvents, and limit the number of solvents used in dissolution-precipitation processes. In this study, we upcycle polypropylene PP waste in...

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Main Author: Junaid Saleem (14670322) (author)
Other Authors: Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325) (author), Rafael Luque (1457890) (author), Gordon McKay (1755814) (author)
Published: 2024
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author Junaid Saleem (14670322)
author2 Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325)
Rafael Luque (1457890)
Gordon McKay (1755814)
author2_role author
author
author
author_facet Junaid Saleem (14670322)
Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325)
Rafael Luque (1457890)
Gordon McKay (1755814)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Junaid Saleem (14670322)
Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325)
Rafael Luque (1457890)
Gordon McKay (1755814)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2024-02-01T03:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.1016/j.cej.2024.148560
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Towards_green_membranes_Repurposing_waste_polypropylene_with_a_single_plant-based_solvent_via_tandem_spin-casting_and_annealing/25038272
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Engineering
Chemical engineering
Environmental engineering
Materials engineering
Plastic waste
Polypropylene
Valorization
Green membranes
Functional Surfaces
Circular economy
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <p>A key aspect of advancing sustainable membrane technology is to source eco-friendly polymers, such as recycled plastic waste, use renewable plant-based solvents, and limit the number of solvents used in dissolution-precipitation processes. In this study, we upcycle polypropylene PP waste into bi-layered microporous superhydrophobic membranes using a single plant-based solvent, Cymene, through tandem spin-casting and annealing. The surface roughness and hydrophobicity of the top layer enhance selectivity, while the presence of micropores ensures efficient liquid passage and high permeability. The microporous bottom layer serves as a substrate for the top layer, providing structural support. Various annealing conditions were employed to optimize hydrophobicity, roughness, porosity and strength of as-prepared membranes, yielding high permeance and outstanding separation efficiency. The fabricated membranes were subjected to oil–water emulsion separations, demonstrating a contact angle exceeding 155° and a surface roughness of 123 nm, resulting in an organic solvent flux of 14,000 Lm-2h−1 with a 96 % water rejection. Tensile strength and strain % were found to be 13–28 MPa and 20–27 %, respectively. This research provided access to environmentally friendly membranes, adding value to plastic waste with potential benefits to both the polymer and membrane industries as they transition towards a circular economy.</p><h2>Other Information</h2> <p> Published in: Chemical Engineering Journal<br> License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.148560" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.148560</a></p>
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
id Manara2_6eefd5e659cb3f2104116a3faebfa504
identifier_str_mv 10.1016/j.cej.2024.148560
network_acronym_str Manara2
network_name_str Manara2
oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/25038272
publishDate 2024
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
repository.name.fl_str_mv
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rights_invalid_str_mv CC BY 4.0
spelling Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealingJunaid Saleem (14670322)Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325)Rafael Luque (1457890)Gordon McKay (1755814)EngineeringChemical engineeringEnvironmental engineeringMaterials engineeringPlastic wastePolypropyleneValorizationGreen membranesFunctional SurfacesCircular economy<p>A key aspect of advancing sustainable membrane technology is to source eco-friendly polymers, such as recycled plastic waste, use renewable plant-based solvents, and limit the number of solvents used in dissolution-precipitation processes. In this study, we upcycle polypropylene PP waste into bi-layered microporous superhydrophobic membranes using a single plant-based solvent, Cymene, through tandem spin-casting and annealing. The surface roughness and hydrophobicity of the top layer enhance selectivity, while the presence of micropores ensures efficient liquid passage and high permeability. The microporous bottom layer serves as a substrate for the top layer, providing structural support. Various annealing conditions were employed to optimize hydrophobicity, roughness, porosity and strength of as-prepared membranes, yielding high permeance and outstanding separation efficiency. The fabricated membranes were subjected to oil–water emulsion separations, demonstrating a contact angle exceeding 155° and a surface roughness of 123 nm, resulting in an organic solvent flux of 14,000 Lm-2h−1 with a 96 % water rejection. Tensile strength and strain % were found to be 13–28 MPa and 20–27 %, respectively. This research provided access to environmentally friendly membranes, adding value to plastic waste with potential benefits to both the polymer and membrane industries as they transition towards a circular economy.</p><h2>Other Information</h2> <p> Published in: Chemical Engineering Journal<br> License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.148560" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.148560</a></p>2024-02-01T03:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.1016/j.cej.2024.148560https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Towards_green_membranes_Repurposing_waste_polypropylene_with_a_single_plant-based_solvent_via_tandem_spin-casting_and_annealing/25038272CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/250382722024-02-01T03:00:00Z
spellingShingle Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing
Junaid Saleem (14670322)
Engineering
Chemical engineering
Environmental engineering
Materials engineering
Plastic waste
Polypropylene
Valorization
Green membranes
Functional Surfaces
Circular economy
status_str publishedVersion
title Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing
title_full Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing
title_fullStr Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing
title_full_unstemmed Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing
title_short Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing
title_sort Towards green membranes: Repurposing waste polypropylene with a single plant-based solvent via tandem spin-casting and annealing
topic Engineering
Chemical engineering
Environmental engineering
Materials engineering
Plastic waste
Polypropylene
Valorization
Green membranes
Functional Surfaces
Circular economy