Perlite Embedded PVC Membrane for Oil‐In‐Water Emulsion Separation

ABSTRACT

To improve oil–water emulsion separation, perlite particle‐embedded polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membranes were fabricated using the NIPS technique. Composite membrane performance was greatly enhanced by the addition of 0.075 wt% perlite. Higher hydrophilicity was indicated by a decrease in contact angle from 86° for pure PVC to 67° for PVC/perlite 0.075 wt%. Both water content and porosity rose from 57.1% to 76% and from 63.5% to 80.5%, for neat PVC and PVC/perlite 0.075, respectively. Tensile strength increased by 75%, and pure water flux (PWF) increased by 16% (from 178.3 to 206.7 L.m ⁻² .h ⁻¹ ). The oil rejection was 99.43% for the optimum membrane, while the pristine membrane's was 96.93%. Total fouling resistance dropped by almost 90%, and the flux recovery ratio (FRR) rose to 44.9%. Cake filtration replaced standard blocking as the predominant fouling method, according to Hermia model analysis. The Hermia model analysis verified a transition from conventional blocking to cake filtration as the primary fouling mechanism. The optimized PVC/perlite 0.075 wt% membrane showed the best balance of permeability, mechanical strength, and resistance to fouling, showing that it could be used for long‐term treatment of oily wastewater.