Influence of TiO ₂ nanoparticles on stiffness, hydrophilicity, and UV aging resistance of PEG-plasticized polysulfone membranes

Polysulfone (PSF)-based membranes have been widely studied for various applications, particularly in wastewater treatment, heavy metal extraction, and other environmental and industrial areas. In this work, nanofiltration membranes based on PSF were prepared using the evaporation method. To enhance the performance of PSF membranes, polyethylene glycol (PEG) with two different molecular weights was used as a plasticizing additive in the PSF matrix. This study investigates the effect of doping with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on the stiffness, hydrophilicity, and porosity of the membranes. To characterize our membranes, several analytical techniques were used, such as, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheometer, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A photodegradation study was conducted under UV radiation for 12 weeks. UV-visible spectroscopy was used to characterize the membranes before and after aging. The results showed that adding 0.1 wt.% TiO2 nanoparticles increased the stiffness of the developed membranes, improved their thermal degradation resistance, and enhanced the contact angle and porosity of the fabricated membranes. The results of the aging study showed that the nanoparticles improve the membranes’ resistance to photodegradation.