Synthesis, electrochemical characterization, antibacterial study and evaluation of fixed charge density of polystyrene based calcium-strontium phosphate composite membrane Original Research Article

The present work demonstrates the electrochemical characterizations of polystyrene based calcium–strontium phosphate composite membranes prepared by sol–gel process. Polystyrene based magnesium-strontium (CSP) composite membrane was characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and antibacterial studies. The membrane was found to be crystalline in nature with uniform arrangement of particles indicating no sign of visible cracks and showed good inhibitory effects against gram positive as well as gram negative bacteria. The IR spectra confirm the binding of the composites with the polystyrene. The observed membrane potential of polystyrene based calcium–strontium phosphate composite membrane were measured with uni-univalent electrolytes solutions using saturated calomel electrodes and followed the order LiCl > NaCl > KCl. Thus, the membrane was found to be cation-selective. Membrane potential data have been used to calculate transport number, mobility ratio, distribution coefficient, charge effectiveness, and also to derive the fixed charge density which is a key parameter to govern the membrane phenomena by utilizing Teorell, Meyer, and Sievers method. The order of surface charge density for uni-univalent electrolytes solution was found to be KCl > NaCl > LiCl.