Cellulose Acetate Ultrafiltration Membranes Engineered With Copper‐Based Metal Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Filtration and Antifouling Performance in Water Treatment

ABSTRACT This research examines the filtration properties of a series of ultrafiltration membranes loaded with HKUST‐1 metal–organic framework (MOF) at three different concentrations in a cellulose acetate (CA) matrix. The HKUST‐1 was synthesized using the solvothermal method with copper (II) acetate monohydrate and trimesic acid as the organic linker. The HKUST‐1 was characterized through XRD, ATR‐FTIR, and SEM‐EDAX. The XRD pattern shows major peaks indicating the presence of copper and high crystallinity. The SEM image clearly displays the octahedral morphology of HKUST‐1, and EDX confirms the presence of copper, carbon, and oxygen. Functional group analysis by XRD and ATR‐FTIR confirms effective incorporation of HKUST‐1 into the CA membrane matrix. The porous morphology and smooth surface roughness of the CA/HKUST‐1 membranes were revealed by SEM and AFM. The permeation and hydrophilicity were evaluated in terms of pure water flux, water content, and water contact angle measurements. Results showed that the modified membranes had superior water permeation, foulant rejection, and antifouling performance compared to the neat membrane. The water contact angle decreased to as low as 36° for the CA‐1.0 membrane, indicating increased hydrophilicity due to HKUST‐1 addition to the CA matrix. Notably, the pure water flux (PWF) of the CA‐1.0 membrane (95.3 Lm −2 h −1 ) was approximately 3.5 times higher than that of the neat CA membrane (28.0 Lm −2 h −1 ). The favorable morphological features of the CA‐1.0 membrane facilitated rejection of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and humic acid (HA), with a flux recovery ratio (FRR) exceeding 90% indicating effective separation and improved antifouling properties. Additionally, the CA‐1.0 membrane demonstrated significantly antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus . These bench‐scale results are promising for the application of HUKST‐1 loaded UF membranes in effective water and wastewater treatment.