• Membrane Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 2015

In this study, PEBAX[poly(ether-block-amide)]-NaY zeolite composite membranes were prepared, and those prepared membranes were studied on permeability of $C_3H_6$ and $C_3H_8$, and selectivity ($C_3H_6/C_3H_8$). NaY zeolite particles in PEBAX-NaY zeolite composite membranes was dispersed as aggregated particles with the size $0.5{\sim}2.5{\mu}m$ by SEM observation. TGA measurement showed the weight loss change resulted from the amount of NaY zeolite when NaY zeolite was added into PEBAX. By gas permeation experiment, the permeabilities of $C_3H_6$ and $C_3H_8$ were decreased by the more addition NaY zeolite in PEBAX. Overall, $C_3H_6$ was having higher permeability than $C_3H_8$. The selectivity $C_3H_6/C_3H_8$ was decreased by the more NaY zeolite in PEBAX.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2017

In this study, the composite membranes prepared by sulfonated graphene oxide (sGO) and Nafion were developed as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The sGO/Nafion composite membranes were prepared by mixing Nafion solution with the sGO dispersed in a binary solvent system to improve dispersity of sGO. The composite membranes were investigated in terms of ionic conductivity, ion exchange capacity (IEC), FT-IR, TGA and SEM, etc. As a result, the binary solvent system, i.e., ortho-dichlorobenzene (ODB) and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), were used to obtain high dispersion of sGO particles in Nafion solution, and the ionic conductivity of the sGO/Nafion composite membrane showed $0.06Scm^{-1}$ similar to other research results at lower water uptake, 11 wt%.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.416-426
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• 2023

In this study, hindered amine-grafted graphene oxide (HA-GO) with antioxidant properties was prepared and incorporated into Nafion-based composite membranes as an effective filler material for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell applications. HA-GO was synthesized via a ring-opening reaction between amine groups in 4-amino-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethyl piperidine and epoxy groups on the surface of GO. Nafion-based composite membranes containing different weight contents of HA-GO were fabricated to compare the polymer electrolyte membrane properties with those of the pure Nafion membrane. The composite membranes with HA-GO were found to have better mechanical properties, chemical stability, and proton conductivity than the pure Nafion membrane. In particular, the conductivity retention behavior confirmed by the decrease in proton conductivity after Fenton's test of the composite membranes was better than that of the pure Nafion membrane due to the incorporation of HA-GO with effective antioxidant properties.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.510-518
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• 2016

Ethyl cellulose-g-poly(ethylene glycol) (EP) was synthesized by esterification of carboxylic acid functionalized methoxy polyethylene glycol (MPEG-COOH) with ethyl cellulose (EC) in order to develop a hydrophilic substrate for thin-film composite (TFC) membrane in a forward osmosis (FO) system. A porous EP substrate, fabricated by a non-solvent induced phase separation method, was found to be more hydrophilic than the EC substrate due to the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) side chains in the EP. Since the EP substrate exhibits smaller water contact angles and higher porosity, the structural parameter (S) of TFC-EP is smaller than that of TFC-EC, indicating that internal concentration polarization (ICP) within porous substrates can occur less when TFC-EP is used as a membrane. For example, the water flux value of the TFC-EP is 15.7 LMH, whereas the water flux value of the TFC-EC is only 6.6 LMH. Therefore, we strongly believe that the TFC-EP could be a promising candidate with good FO performances.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.389-397
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• 2011

In this study, polymer composite membranes based on sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) were prepared using a solution casting method with different amount of vermiculite (VMT) content. The dispersion of VMT particles in the SPAES matrix was confirmed by means of a scanning electron microscopy observation. The composite membrane containing less than 1 wt% of VMT has a smooth skin on the top and bottom, which means there is a good dispersion of VMT in the matrix. The water uptake of the composite membranes gradually increases as the temperature increases, and the results confirm that all the adsorbed water is bound water because VMT has a strong water affinity on account of its high cation exchange value. A composite membrane with a VMT content of less than 1 wt% increases the proton conductivity and reduces the methanol permeability. Of all the composite membranes, the membrane SPAES/VMT 1.0 has the best fuel cell performance in terms of membrane selectivity. The performance value of SPAES/VMT 1.0 is double that of Nafion 112, which suggests that SPAES/VMT1.0 could be an excellent candidate for direct methanol fuel cells.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.409-419
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• 2020

In this study, PEBAX/ZIF-8 and PEBAX/amineZIF-8 composite membranes were prepared according to the content of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), amine-modified ZIF-8 (amineZIF-8), the gas permeability properties of N2 and CO2 were investigated for each composite membrane. In the case of the PEBAX/ZIF-8 composite membrane, the permeability of N2 and CO2 increased as the ZIF-8 content increased, and in the case of the PEBAX/amineZIF-8 composite membrane, the permeability of N2 and CO2 increased up to 20 wt% of amineZIF-8, but decreased at the higher content. CO2/N2 ideal selectivity increased up to 20 wt% of ZIF-8 and amineZIF-8 contents in both PEBAX/ZIF-8 and PEBAX/ amineZIF-8 composite membranes, and then decreased thereafter, in the case of PEBAX/amineZIF-8 composite membrane was less decreased. The reason for the highest CO2/N2 ideal selectivity at 20 wt% of amineZIF-8 is that amine modification improved the compatibility between PEBAX and amineZIF-8, and thus amineZIF-8 was evenly dispersed in PEBAX, resulting in the greatest effect of the porous ZIF-8 with a 3.4 Å pore size and the amine with affinity for CO2.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.138-145
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• 2008

A series of anion exchange composite membranes were prepared and characterized for electro-dialysis process used in the removal of toxic anion and cation polutants in groundwater or wastewater. The membranes were prepared as follows; first, porous poly(ethylene) (PE) substrates were fully impregnated with monomer mixtures with various ratio of vinylbenzylchloride (VBC), divinylbenzene (DVB) and ${\alpha},\;{\alpha}$-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN). Second, they were thermally polymerized to yield crosslinked poly(VBC-DVB)/PE composite membranes. Finally, the membranes were treated in trimethylamine (TMA)/acetone to give $-N^+(CH_3)_3$-containing poly(VBC-DVB)/PE membranes. The basic membrane properties such as ion exchange capacity (IEC), electric resistance and water content of the resulting membranes were measured as a function of VBC/DVB and TMA/Acetone content. As a result, the composite membranes showed lower electric resistance, lower water content and higher IEC than commercial anion exchange membranes (AMX, Astom) due to thin PE substrates, indicating that the composite membranes could be successfully applied to the electrodialysis for water treatment.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2010

A series of anion exchange composite membranes were prepared and characterized for electrodialysis processes used in the removal of nitrate nitrogen and ions in groundwater. The membranes were prepared as follows; first, fabric substrates were fully impregnated with monomer mixtures of vinylbenzylchloride (VBC), divinylbenzene (DVB), Styrene (ST) and $\alpha,\alpha$-Azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN). Second, they were thermally polymerized to yield crosslinked poly (VBCST- DVB)/fabric composite membranes. Finally, the membranes were treated with trimethylamine (TMA) / acetone to give $-N^+(CH_3)_3^-$-containing poly(VBC-ST-DVB)/fabric membranes. The basic membrane properties such as ion exchange capacity (IEC), electric resistance and water content of the resulting membranes were measured as a function of VBC/DVB and TMA/Acetone content. As a result, the composite membranes showed lower electric resistance and higher IEC than commercial anion exchange membranes (AMX, Astom). Electrodialysis tests using the prepared membranes were carried out for the removal of various ions such as $NaNO_3$, $MgSO_4$ and NaF for 60 minutes. The results showed that the ions were removed below 1 mg/L within about 15 minutes which indicates that the anion exchange membranes prepared here could be applied to the electrodialysis process. as can be seen in the following that the ion conductivity values were almost no change after 15 minutes electrodialysis.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.116-125
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• 2016

This study described a synthesis of MF having a arsenic removal characteristics and the fundamental research was performed about the simultaneous removal system of both As(III) and As(V) ions with the composite nanofiber membrane (PMF) based on PVdF and MF materials for the water-treatment application. From the TEM analysis, the shape and structure of MF materials was investigated. The mechanical strength, pore-size, contact angle and water-flux analysis for the PMF was performed to investigate the possibility of utilizing as a water treatment membrane. From these results, the PMF11 showed the highest value of mechanical strength ($232.7kgf/cm^2$) and the pore-diameter of composite membrane was reduced by introducing the MF materials. In particular, their pore diameter decreased with an increase of iron oxide composition ratio. The water flux value of PMF was improved about 10 to 60% compared with that of neat PVdF nanofiber membranes. From the arsenic removal characterization of prepared MF materials and PMF, it was shown the simultaneous removal characteristics of both As(III) and (V) ions, and the MF01, in particular, showed the highest adsorption-removal rate of 93% As(III) and 68% As(V), respectively. From these results, prepared MF materials and PMF have shown a great potential to be utilized for the fundamental study to improve the functionality of water treatment membrane.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2005

In this study, composite hollow fiber membranes were developed for the recovery of olefin monomers in polyolefin industry off-gases. Polyetherimide (PEI) hollow fiber support membranes were fabricated from spinning solutions containing PEI, NMP and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The influence of dope solution and inner coagulant composition on the permeation properties and structure of hollow fiber supports was examined. PDMS was used as a selective layer and coated on PEI hollow fiber support. The thickness of active layer was controlled by changing coating solution concentration. The permeation properties of hollow fiber supports and composite membranes were characterized with a pure gas permeation test. The optimized composite hollow fiber membrane has $10\;{\mu}m$ selective layer and shows excellent separation performance; the ideal selectivity of olefins over nitrogen is in the following order: 1-butylene (6.4) > propylene (17) > ethylene (97), which selectivity data are similar to the intrinsic olefin/nitrogen selectivities of PDMS. This confirms that the new composite hollow fiber membranes suitable for olefin off-gas recovery has developed successfully.