Preparation of Hybrid Polyaniline/Nanoparticle Membranes for Water Treatment Using an Inverse Emulsion Polymerization Technique under Sonication

This manuscript describes a novel in situ interfacial dynamic inverse emulsion polymerization process under sonication of aniline in the presence of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene nanoparticles in ethanol. This polymerization method is simple and very rapid (up to 10 min) compared to other techniques reported in the literature. During polymerization, the nanoparticles are coated with polyaniline (PANI), forming a core-shell structure, as confirmed by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) measurements. The membrane pore sizes range between 100–200 nm, with an average value of ~119 ± 28.3 nm. The film resistivity decreased when treated with alcohol, and this behavior was used for selection of the most efficient alcohol as a solvent for this polymerization technique. The membrane permeability of the PANI grafted CNT was lower than the CNT reference, thus demonstrating better membranal properties. As measured by water permeability, these are ultrafiltration membranes. An antimicrobial activity test showed that whereas the reference nanoparticle Bucky paper developed a large bacterial colony, the PANI grafted CNT sample had no bacterial activity. The thicker, 2.56 mm membranes exhibited high salt removal properties at a low pressure drop. Such active membranes comprise a novel approach for future water treatment applications.