• Membrane Journal
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.157-165
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• 1996

Polysulfone(PS) membranes were prepared from homogeneous PS solutions by the phase inversion technique. When propionic acid(PA) was added into a casting solution of n-methylpyrrolidone(NMP) and PS, precipitation rate of the solution film was accelerated. This kind of acceleration was consistent, even though a precipitating nonsolvent was changed from water to isopropanol. These phenomena were caused by decrease of nonsolvent tolerance in the casting solution due to addition of PA. PS powder was prepared by precipitation of a 3wt% solution in dimethylformamide(DMF) using ethanol as nonsolvent. Gas adsorption analysis of the powder showed that the capillary condensation sites were found in the powder structure. Membranes prepared from PS solution(15wt%) in NMP had the following characteristics of gas adsorption and water permeation. In gas adsorption analysis, the membrane precipitated using isopropanol showed low uptake of nitrogen gas and the capillary condensation sites were not found. On the contrary, a significant amount of the capillary condensation sites was found in the membrane coagulated by water, which was related to increase of nitrogen uptake. tn the membrane prepared froin the solution including PA, an increase of the Henry's law sites and the Langmuir sites was not found clearly. However, the capillary condensation sites were significantly increased, and the water transport also increased.