Keywords: Barium molybdate model membrane; membrane potential; fixed charge density; transport properties; permselectivity; antibacterial activity

Abstract

A barium molybdate parchment-supported model membrane was prepared by the ion interaction method. The electrochemical properties of the membrane were studied using Teorell-Meyer-Sievers, Kobatake and Nagasawa approaches. These properties were used to determine important membrane parameters like fixed charge density, transport number, mobility ratio and permselectivity. The experimental and theoretical membrane potential values were used to calculate charge density. These membrane potential values were compared with those from different approaches of thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The fixed charge density values of the prepared membrane under different electrolytic environments were found to follow the order: LiCl > NaCl > KCl. The membrane was characterized by different instrumental techniques such as SEM, TEM, FTIR, TGA/DTA, XRD and EDX analysis. The antibacterial activity of the model membrane was also studied against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria using the disc diffusion method.