Microstructure and anti-adhesion properties of PES/TAP/Ag hybrid ultrafiltration membrane Original Research Article

A novel antibacterial and anti-adhesion membrane was obtained by blending PES with 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine (TAP) as compatibilizer and AgNO3 as an antibacterial agent. The modified membrane surfaces analyzed by XPS revealed high content of silver (Ag) compared to PES/Ag without compatibilizer. This result was supported by AFM micrographs where PES/TAP/Ag exhibited smoother surface with RMS(nm) 17.49 and Ra(nm) 11.74. From the biofouling point of view, the smoother the surface, the lesser contact area provided thus reducing bacterial adhesion. In addition, PES/TAP/Ag membrane prepared via simple phase inversion technique showed evidence of an anti-adhesion property when tested on Escherichia coli suspension of 1 × 104 cells/mL at 37 °C. The smooth, anti-adhered surface of PES/TAP/Ag however exhibits better tensile strength up to 52% compared to pristine PES membrane, making it an antibacterial membrane with reduced biofouling potentials in water and waste water treatment.