Electrospun mats based on poly(vinyl fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and hybrid carbon nanofillers as high performance ultrafiltration membranes

Abstract Graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were integrated at different mutual ratios into poly(vinyl fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-co-HFP) and electrospun to construct mats that were assessed for treating water contaminated by methylene blue (MB) via vacuum-assisted ultrafiltration. The materials were fully characterized from a morphological, physicochemical and mechanical point of view. The results revealed that such materials are suitable for being used as membranes for continuous processes, such as ultrafiltration. In particular, adding 2 wt.% of GO and CNTs gave the best performance, showing extremely high flux (800 L*m− 2*h− 1), excellent rejection (99%) and flux recovery ratios (93.3%), along with antifouling properties (irreversible and reversible fouling below 6% and 25%, respectively), and reusability. These outstanding outcomes were ascribed to the peculiar microstructure achieved, which endowed polymeric membranes with high roughness, wettability, and mechanical robustness.