Development of polymeric hollow fiber membranes containing catalytic metal nanoparticles

Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) have unique physico-chemical properties advantageous for catalytic applications which differ from bulk material. However, the main drawback of MNPs is their insufficient stability due to a high trend for aggregation. To cope with this inconvenience, the stabilization of MNPs in polymeric matrices has been tested. This procedure is a promising strategy to maintain catalytic properties. The aim of this work is the synthesis of polymer-stabilized MNPs inside functionalized polymeric membranes in order to build catalytic membrane reactors. First, the polymeric support must have functional groups capable to retain nanoparticle precursors (i.e. sulfonic), then, nanoparticles can grow inside the polymeric matrix by chemical reduction of metal ions. Two different strategies have been used in this work. Firstly, polyethersulfone microfiltration hollow fibers have been modified by applying polyelectrolyte multilayers. Secondly, polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes were modified by UV-photografting using sodium p-styrene sulfonate as a vinyl monomer. The catalytic performance of developed hollow fibers has been evaluated by using the reduction of nitrophenol to aminophenol by sodium borohydride. Hollow fiber modules with Pd MNPs have been tested in dead-end and cross-flow filtration. Complete nitrophenol degradation is possible depending on operation parameters such as applied pressure and permeate flux. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.