Characterization and fabrication of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/nanocrystalline cellulose composite membranes for heavy metal ion separation

The purpose of this work was to produce poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) membranes packed with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCCs) using an phase inversions technique induced by water vapor and crystallization. Four membranes containing NCCs at concentrations ranging from 0% to 3% were produced and characterized utilizing a variety of materials research techniques. The 3% NCC-filled membrane exhibited a conspicuous and well-assimilated polymeric structure during morphological testing. Meanwhile, increasing the NCCs from 0% to 3% loadings may enhance membrane porosity while simultaneously decreasing pore size. The thermal resistance of the clean membrane was boosted significantly by a 1% NCC loading, but dropped significantly with 2% and 3% NCC loadings owing to the blazing behavior of sulfated nanocellulose. Additionally, when compared to other samples, the membrane with a 3% NCC loading exhibited the highest mechanical characteristics for Young's modulus (3.34 GPa), elongation at break (9.7%), and tensile strength (32.9 MPa). The continuous operation test revealed that a 3% NCC loaded membrane had maximum removal effectiveness for metal ions of chromium with 92% and manganese with 90%. Hence, the NCCs-filled PBAT composite membranes have high potential for treatment of wastewater streams in the future.