Composite zeolite hollow fiber membrane for the removal of nickel using forward osmosis

This work discusses the preparation, characterization, and feasibility test of composite zeolite hollow fiber membranes, with UV-curable resin as a secondary coating material, in removing Ni (II) using FO process. The preparation of the membrane started by depositing zeolite membrane onto alumina hollow fiber, followed by photopolymerization process once the outer layer was fully covered. Various characterization techniques were used on the composite membrane, namely field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, contact angle measurement, and performance tests using FO. The results show that the membranes enabled a reduction of reverse solute once incorporated with UV-curable resin. The lowest reverse solute flux obtained was 0.008 kg m−2 h−1, when pure water was flowed in the outer surface and 100,000 mg L−1 sodium chloride (NaCl) was used in the lumen. The UV-curable resin was unstable in the presence of Ni (II), which later formed complex ions. Adsorption of Ni (II) ions caused agglomeration of zeolite particles, causing membrane defects.