| Abstract Scope |
Microplastics are found not only in marine life, but this large-scale pollutant is also present in rivers, water reservoirs, and even on water bottles. The problem is addressed in various ways with relative success. Unfortunately, a definite solution is not available. Moreover, this “final” solution must be a combination of individually proposed solutions. One possible solution is the recovery of microplastics through filtration. To create this special net, the pores must have very small dimensions. Moreover, the net material, in our case, nanomembranes, must sustain a significant amount of load.
As discussed by Haque (2023), although there are many possibilities for nanomembrane fabrication techniques, electrospinning is the most commonly used. It is a very simple and inexpensive process. However, the mechanical characterization of nanomembranes is not a trivial task. This is mainly due to their nanometric dimensions. This paper will address important issues during the development of a family of nanomembranes based on Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF), a highly non-reactive polymer. Tensile tests were performed following ASTM D 882 (2022). However, to ensure good alignment between fixtures, a special frame made of cardboard was designed and manufactured.
To control the nanomembrane wettability, a surfactant, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), was associated with carbon nanotubes. The main goal is to control the surface tension and consequently the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity. The new system for microplastic recovery is able to collect particles around 2.0 micrometers on average. Additional tests must be performed to establish the new net's applications in open waters, e.g. oceans. |