Preparation, characterization, and application of activated carbon membrane with carbon whiskers

A novel activated carbon membrane with carbon whiskers (W-ACM) for wastewater and drinking water treatments was designed and prepared. This membrane has carbon whiskers on its surface for preventing the deposition and accumulation of particles and has activated carbon layer below its carbon whiskers for the adsorption of dissolved organics. Adsorption capacity of the membrane was compared with a granular activated carbon and an activated carbon fiber by using phenol. Prevention of the particle deposition on the membrane surface was elucidated by the filtration of water containing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). In this filtration, the carbon whiskers on the activated carbon membrane significantly extended the membrane lifetime, because of preventing the particle deposition on/within the membrane pores. From these results, this novel membrane can be a promising tool for the hybrid processes for wastewater and water treatment with long lifetime.

We have developed a novel activated carbon membrane with carbon whiskers (W-ACM) and also characterize it by phenol adsorption and PMMA filtration for activated carbon layer and carbon whiskers, respectively. As a result, it is possible to utilize the W-ACM as a hybrid processes for wastewater treatment with long 1.2 lifetime. The W-ACM was successfully prepared by the pyrolysis of PVdC/PVC composite microspheres as a precursors of the activated carbon adhered on the ceramic support followed by the methane CVD, and the diameter of the carbon whiskers and pore size of the membrane could be controlled by changing PVdC/PVC ratio of the microspheres. Moreover, the newly developed carbon whisker layer successfully prevented PMMA particles from sticking to the external surface of the membranes. The carbon whiskers prevented the blockage of water passing holes in the membrane by small particles (0.8 mm) accumulation. When larger particles (5–10 mm) as compared to the carbon whisker size were filtrated, the carbon whiskers contributed to prevent the dense packing of the cake layer. Also, the newly developed activated carbon layer had the adsorption capacity of phenol comparable to the commercial activated carbons. It can be concluded that the novel composite membrane developed in this work can be utilized widely in the practical and commercial water treatments.