Abstract
Carbon nanosphere particles (CNs) were prepared from glucose using a controlled hydrothermal and then used as fillers for polysulfone (PS) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane matrix. The prepared CNs, PS, and polysulfone/carbon nanosphere (PS/CNs) composite UF membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and water contact angle. Methyl blue and Rhodamine B dyes were used as feed solutions to elucidate the performance efficiency of the membranes. The adsorption properties of CNs, oxygen functional groups, and high surface area showed a significant improvement in the performance of the membranes against dyes removal. Because of CNs act as fillers, the membrane permeability decrease from 42.2 to 10.9 L/m(2) h bar for PS/CNs (7%). By addition the CNs, dye rejection increased from 51.4% to 93.6%, and from 39.3% to 81.5%, for Methyl blue and Rhodamine B dyes, respectively. While, the water flux decreased from 216.3 to 168.9 L/m(2)h 629 and from 409.6 L/m(2)h for the neat PS and PS/CNs (5%), respectively. The high rejection of Methyl blue than that of Rhodamine B was due to the difference in the molecular weight of the two dyes and the charged groups for dyes.