We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Characteristics of Styrofoam Waste-based Membrane Through Vapor and Liquid-induced Phase Inversion Process
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers prepared polymeric membranes from recycled Styrofoam waste using a phase-inversion technique with either immersion or evaporation solidification, finding that the solidification method significantly influenced hydrophobicity, pore configuration, porosity, and thermal stability of the resulting membranes.
Polymeric membrane-based-Styrofoam waste in the form of a thin sheet was successfully prepared by a phase-inversion technique in different final solidification treatments, namely, immersion and evaporation. This study aims to identify the effects of different solidification processes on membrane properties such as hydrophobicity, pore configuration, porosity, and membrane temperature stability. Characterization was carried out using contact angle, SEM, FTIR, TGA, and porosity tests. The results showed that an increase in Styrofoam 18-30 wt.% in dimethylformamide (DMF) as solvent decreases the hydrophobicity by 9.5%. The average contact angle of 62–80° indicated that the obtained membrane was prepared by immersion treatment. The membrane subjected to evaporation treatment was hydrophobic. Moreover, the microscopy image shows that the immersed membrane was denser than the evaporated membrane. This showed that a higher exchange rate between the solvent and non-solvent (water) produced a tight membrane than free evaporation in air. The polystyrene membrane from Styrofoam exhibited excellent temperature stability up to 350 °C. In addition, the mechanical strength was affected by employing different solidification processes. The obtained results were also successfully tabulated from a statistical point of view to validate the conclusions. The following information can provide basic knowledge for modifying membrane-based-Styrofoam to optimize zero-waste goals.
More Papers Like This
Upcycling of Expanded Polystyrene Waste-Impregnated PVP Using Wet-Phase Inversion for Effective Microalgae Harvesting
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers upcycled expanded polystyrene foam packaging waste into filtration membranes by dissolving it and using wet-phase inversion with PVP, finding the resulting membranes effectively harvested Spirulina microalgae with reduced fouling compared to conventional membrane materials.
Impact of polyimide on the recycling of waste expanded polystyrene into flat-sheet filtration membrane
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers upcycled waste expanded polystyrene food packaging into flat-sheet filtration membranes by blending it with polyimide, achieving microplastic rejection rates above 80% and a 240% improvement in protein rejection with 8 wt% polyimide addition. This approach simultaneously addresses plastic waste accumulation and microplastic water contamination, offering a circular-economy solution that turns one form of plastic pollution into a tool for removing another.
Development of hydroxyapatite-enhanced membrane for nanoplastics removal: Multiple scenarios and mechanism exploration
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a novel hydroxyapatite-functionalized PVDF membrane (HAPF) for nanoplastics removal, achieving a water flux of 4376 LMH and high polystyrene nanoplastic rejection efficiency, with the optimized membrane prepared via a one-step method at pH 7.3.
Fabrication and Characterization of Cellulose Acetat / N-Methyl Pyrollidon Membrane for Microplastics Separation in Water
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers fabricated cellulose acetate membranes using N-methyl pyrrolidone as solvent via the phase inversion method and examined how immersion time during membrane formation affects the characteristics and microplastic removal performance of the resulting flat sheet microfiltration membranes. The study aims to optimize membrane manufacturing parameters for efficient microplastics separation from water.
Water transferable, customizable highly ordered honeycomb film from polystyrene foam waste for complex surface patterning in confined space
AI summary Read the abstract
This study developed a novel method to recycle waste polystyrene foam into highly ordered honeycomb-patterned films using an improved phase separation technique with methanol. The resulting freestanding films can be transferred onto various substrates as flexible molds, enabling applications in superhydrophobic surfaces, microelectronics, optical devices, and nanogenerators.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.