Nanocellulose in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes: Assessing reinforcement impact and modelling techniques

In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based nanocomposite membranes reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were fabricated using the phase inversion method. The effects of 0.5 wt% and 1 wt% CNC and CNF on structural, mechanical, and filtration properties were examined. Membranes reinforced with 1 wt% CNF exhibited the highest distilled water flux, increasing from 445.91 to 476.17 L/m².h, and showed improved antifouling ability and higher total organic carbon (TOC) removal compared to unreinforced membranes. Mechanical properties were modelled using five numerical methods, with finite element and Mori-Tanaka models showing the best agreement with experimental data. Modelling results indicated that finite element and Mori-Tanaka methods were the most accurate in predicting the modulus of elasticity. The reinforcement significantly enhanced the membranes' performance in terms of flux recovery, fouling resistance, and mechanical strength, making this a novel interdisciplinary investigation of nanocomposite membranes focusing on both mechanical and filtration capabilities.