ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Impact of Modified Coal with Alkyl or
Mixed Alkyl-Aryl Layer on the Performance
of Heterogeneous Cellulose Acetate Membranes
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1
Department of Chemistry, University of Prishtina, 10000 Prishtinë, Republic of Kosova
2
Kosova Academy of Sciences and Arts, 10000 Prishtinë, Republic of Kosova
3
NanoAlb-Unit of Albanian Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 1000 Tirana, Albania
4
Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB, UK
Submission date: 2024-04-16
Final revision date: 2024-09-10
Acceptance date: 2024-09-29
Online publication date: 2024-12-10
Corresponding author
Salih T. Gashi
Kosova Academy of Sciences and Arts, 10000 Prishtinë, Republic of Kosova
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ABSTRACT
Heterogeneous cellulose acetate asymmetric reverse osmosis membranes were prepared using
coal particles modified with alkyl and mixed alkyl/aryl groups. Aryldiazonium salts and alkyl halides
were used as sources of organic radicals that interact with the coal surface to form functional layers.
Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) was employed to confirm
the presence of functional layers on the coal surface, while the morphology of membranes was
characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy, SEM. Functionalized coal particles with alkyl and/
or aryl moieties containing different substituents (-COOH, -NO2, -NH2) that have been used to prepare
heterogeneous membranes, have shown a noticeable impact in reverse osmosis parameters: permeability
and rejection, which were significantly improved in most tested membranes.