High-performance zeolite-A/polystyrene composite membrane tailored for efficient soluble dyes separation and antifouling

This study aims to develop a low-cost composite membrane consisting of polystyrene (PS) and zeolite-A as a selective layer on ceramic pozzolan support. The membrane was prepared using the dip-coating method and applied for the removal of organic dyes. The effect of zeolite content (0 −10 wt%) on the membrane was investigated, showing that incorporating zeolite-A into the PS matrix improves the permeability, dye rejection and antifouling performance compared to the pristine PS membrane. The optimized membrane containing 5 wt% zeolite-A showcases a permeability of 31.1 L h−1 m−2 bar−1, excellent hydrophilicity, and dye rejection of approximately 99 % of direct red 80 and methylene blue. Simultaneously, the zeolite-A/PS membrane demonstrates outstanding antifouling performance and durability, with a high flux even after four cycles of dye filtration. The low-cost membrane priced at $63.3 m−1 underscores the potential application of zeolite-A as an effective filler for membrane fabrication.