Low-cost and facile synthesis of geopolymer-zeolite composite membrane for chromium(VI) separation from aqueous solution

Pan Yang He; Yao Jun Zhang; Hao Chen; Zhi Chao Han; Li Cai Liu

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122359

Low-cost and facile synthesis of geopolymer-zeolite composite membrane for chromium(VI) separation from aqueous solution

J Hazard Mater. 2020 Jun 15:392:122359. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122359. Epub 2020 Feb 19.

Authors

Pan Yang He¹, Yao Jun Zhang², Hao Chen³, Zhi Chao Han³, Li Cai Liu³

Affiliations

¹ College of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China. Electronic address: hepanyang@live.xauat.edu.cn.
² College of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China. Electronic address: zhangyaojun@xauat.edu.cn.
³ College of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China.

PMID: 32113088
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122359

Abstract

Inorganic membranes in wastewater treatment have captured increasing attention due to their numerous advantages. However, high cost and complicated producing process restricted their benign developments. This study proposed an novel inorganic geopolymer-zeolite composite membrane which was synthesized by using circulating fluidized bed fly ash (CFBFA) solid waste as initial material and via a low-cost and facile geopolymerization-hydrothermal treatment processes, further, the membrane was employed to separate Cr(VI) ion from aqueous solutions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra results indicated that geopolymer-zeolite (Li-ABW) composite membrane was obtained successfully. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results demonstrated that the membrane had a compact zeolite layer with thickness about 1.5 μm. The effects of transmembrane pressures (TMP), Cr(VI) concentration, pH, ionic strength, and co-existing ions on Cr(VI) rejection were investigated, and the results revealed that the Cr(VI) rejection reached 85.45 % under 10 kPa of TMP, 1000 mg L^-1 of Cr(VI), and pH 7. The separation mechanism of Cr(VI) on the geopolymer-zeolite composite membrane was considered to be size exclusion and electrostatic interaction. These results suggested that the geopolymer-zeolite composite membrane had a potential application for the effective removal of Cr(VI) contaminants from wastewater.

Keywords: Geopolymer-zeolite; Hexavalent chromium; Inorganic membrane; Separation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't