Speaker
Description
The increasing volume of non-biodegradable styrofoam waste presents a significant environmental challenge. This study aims to utilize styrofoam waste as a base material for the fabrication of ultrafiltration membranes, incorporating an additive to enhance overall membrane properties and performance. The membranes were fabricated using the phase inversion method across various additive concentrations. Membrane characterization was conducted through evaluations of water flux, water contact angle, surface morphology, rejection of Spirulina platensis microalgae, and porosity. Furthermore, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to determine the statistical significance of the experimental results. The findings revealed that the incorporation of the additive significantly improved membrane permeability. Optimal formulations yielded substantial increases in water flux, reaching up to 52.58 L/(m²·h·atm), and achieved a favorable water contact angle of 51.6°. Morphological analysis indicated that the additive influenced structural formation, notably enlarging both the pore size and the finger-like macrovoids. All membrane variations demonstrated a 100% rejection rate, indicating high efficacy in filtering microalgae, with maximum porosity reaching 87.03%. In conclusion, the use of performance-enhancing additives effectively improves the properties and filtration capabilities of styrofoam-based membranes, offering a promising solution for upcycling post-consumer expanded polystyrene waste into high-value functional materials.
