The Effect of GO on TiO₂-doped PVDF Nanofiltration Membrane Performance: Synergistic Filtration of Large and Small Molecules Facilitated the Removal of Small Molecule Contaminants

In this study, the synthesis of poly(vinylidene fluoride) composite membranes incorporated with titania (TiO₂) nanoparticles and graphene oxide (GO) was demonstrated. The effect of GO on the surface morphology of the membrane was observed by scanning electron microscopy, indicating the typical membrane looseness and porosity caused by GO. The chemical properties and composition of the membrane were confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, indicating the as-prepared membrane materials with reasonably doped TiO₂ and GO. The effect of the amount of doped GO on the microstructure and performance of the PVDF/TiO₂/GO membrane was systematically investigated. GO enhances the flux of the PVDF membrane in the early filtration stage and enhances the retention of pollutants. In addition, it was found that the synergistic filtration of large and small molecules improved the removal of small molecule contaminants. Therefore, the results of this study offered a new technology for the synergistic treatment of dye wastewater with macromolecule pollutants.