• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.439-446
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• 2023

Ceramic membranes are generally used for various industrial processes operating under extreme conditions because of its high thermal and chemical stability. However, due to the trade-off phenomenon of permeability and mechanical strength, preparation of high permeability-high strength membrane is necessary. In this study, the change in characteristics and performances of ceramic membranes was analyzed depending on the type of polymer binder and its mixing ratio. Because the solubility between solvent and polymer binder was higher in PSf (polysulfone) than in PES (polyethersulfone), the viscosity and discharge pressure of the PSf-based dope solution were higher than those of PES-based dope solution. When PSf was used as a polymer binder, ceramic membrane showed high mechanical strength and low water permeability due to the dense structure. On the other hand, in case of PES, the mechanical strength was slightly reduced and the water permeability was increased. It was confirmed that the optimum mixing ratio of the PSf and PES with high water permeability and mechanical strength was 9:1.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.306-316
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• 2008

The adsorption characteristics of L-tryptophan of PES-BSA affinity membranes prepared by using electro-spinning were investigated. It was found that the fiber diameters could be controlled by the comparisons of fiber diameters prepared by various spinning conditions through FESEM and Image Analyzer. Darcy's permeability constants, mechanical properties and hydrophobic properties were enhanced since micro-fibers increased by increasing the composition ratio of HFB and BSA. The elution capacity of L-tryptophan in borate-DMSO buffer solution was higher than that in tris-HCl buffer solution, while the elution capacity of A 7906 type BSA was higher than A 8022 type BSA. This is due to the characteristics of BSA type, i. e. higher purity and uniform molecular weight and better pH stability of A 7906 type BSA than those of A 8022 type BSA.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.472-483
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• 2014

This study is preparation of microporous membranes by using macrocyclic metal ion complexes and extended cage complexes. It is a more favorable way to existing methods because polymer and metal ion-ligand complex system provides a fine control over the phase transition behavior. Chemical functionalization of the polar surface can be obtained. Metal-templated condensation of cyclohexanedione dioxime, hydroxyphenylboronic acid in the presence of metal salts proceeds cleanly in methanol to furnish the metal clathrochelate complexes. Organic/inorganic hybrid membranes were prepared with polyethersulfone (PES), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), ethyleneglycol butyl ether (BE), metal clathrochelate s and DMF by using nonsolvent induced phase inversion method. The structure of membranes was characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microflow permporometer. The addition of Fe(II) clathrochelate complex with p-hydroxyphenyl group leads to changes of membrane morphology such as narrow mean pore size distribution, increase of surface pore density and decrease of the largest pore size.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.393-403
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• 2021

Enzymes are important class of catalyst for biotransformation. Stability and reusability of enzymes during the catalysis process is a key issue. Activity of enzyme can be enhanced by its immobilization on a suitable substrate by creation of specific microenvironment. A variety of membranes has been used as substrate due to the biocompatibility and simpler method to tune hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity property of the membrane surface. In this review, polymer membranes including cellulose, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyethersulfone (PES) are introduced and discussed in detail. Biodegradation of organic contaminants by immobilized enzyme is an environmental friendly process to reduce the contamination of environment in pharmaceutical company and textile industries. The controlled hydrolysis of oil can be performed in enzyme immobilized membrane bioreactor (EMBR), resulting in reducing carbon emission and reduced environmental pollution. Bioethanol and biodiesel are considered alternative fossil fuels that can be prepared in EMBR.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2014

Porous flat sheet membranes for separators in Zn air batteries were prepared with polyethersulfone (PES) solutions by immersion precipitation phase inversion method. PES/polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP)/N-methylpyrrolidone(NMP) mixtures were used for casting solutions and water was used for coagulant. With the separators, Zn air batteries were fabricated. The separators were characterized by means of stress-strain test, impedance test and SEM. The Zn air batteries were tested by current interrupt method (CIM) and galvanostatic discharge method. The tensile strength increased with increasing PES content in the casting solution while the ionic conductivity decreased. On the other hand, the ionic conductivity increased while the tensile strength decreased with increasing PVP content. The effect of ionic conductivity trend of the separator in the Zn air battery was confirmed through current interrupt method and galvanostatic discharge method experiments. The battery with the separator from casting solution with higher PES content showed higher IR drop and lower discharge capacity. And the battery with the separator from casting solution with higher PVP content showed lower IR drop and higher discharge capacity.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.185-190
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• 2008

In a previous study, we probed the potential of poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS)/poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) nanofiltration (NF) membranes for the separation of monovalent anions, with an emphasis on the selective rejection of $F^-$. Remarkably, deposition of $(PSS/PBADMAC)_4PSS$ films on porous alumina supports yielded membranes that exhibited $Cl^-/F^-$ selectivity > 3 with minimal $Cl^-$ rejection, and a solution flux of $3.5m^3/m^2$-day at 4.8 bar. When the number of PSS/PDADMAC bilayers was increased from 4.5 to 5.5, however, $F^-$ rejection decreased from 73% to 50% and $Cl^-/F^-$ selectivity dropped to 1.9. Addition of another bilayer to form $(PSS/PDADMAC)_6$ PSS films resulted in a significant increase in $Cl^-$ rejection to give essentially no $Cl^-/F^-$ selectivity. The decrease of selectivity with deposition of more than 4.5 bilayers was not expected and it was unclear whether this characteristic was substrate independent. In this study, to investigate the effect of substrates on NF performance of multilayer polyelectrolyte membranes, PSS/PDADMAC films were deposited on 50 kDa polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration supports instead of porous alumina supports. The results indicate that, although fluoride rejection and the number of bilayers at which a maximum $F^-$ rejection occurs are different, the trend is similar for both types of substrates. Therefore, we can conclude that the M: characteristics of multilayer polyelectrolyte membranes may be substrate independent.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.475-478
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• 2010

Fluorinated polymeric membranes were prepared by direct surface modification of PDMS with fluorine gas ($50{\sim}2000\;{\mu}mol/mol$ in nitrogen). The formed fluorinated polymeric membranes were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, GC (Gas chromatography), atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Direct fluorination resulted in the change of permeability and selectivity of various gases (pure gases such as $CO_2$, $O_2$, $N_2$, $C_2H_4$, mixture of He, Ne, Kr, Xe) through PDMS membranes. Fluorination resulted in the maximum 50% increase of selectivity through PDMS membrane.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.207-219
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• 2014

Fouling is one of the critical factors associated with the application of membrane technology in treating palm oil mill effluent (POME), due to the presence of high concentration of solid organic matter, oil, and grease. In order to overcome this, chemical cleaning is needed to enhance the effectiveness of membranes for filtration. The potential use of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium chloride (NaCl), hydrochloric acid (HCl), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and ultrapure water (UPW) as cleaning agents have been investigated in this study. It was found that sodium hydroxide is the most powerful cleaning agent, the optimum conditions that apply are as follows: 3% for the concentration of NaOH, $45^{\circ}C$ for temperature solution, 5 bar operating pressure, and solution pH 11.64. Overall, flux recovery reached 99.5%. SEM images demonstrated that the membrane surface after cleaning demonstrated similar performance to fresh membranes. This is indicative of the fact that NaOH solution is capable of removing almost all of the foulants from PES membranes.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.166-172
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• 2004

As a preliminary study for esterification membrane reactor used to produce 2,2,2-trifluoroethylmetacrylate (TFEMA), Pervaporation behaviors with crosslinked Poly(vinyl alcohol) composite membranes were investigated for aqueous TFEA (2,2,2-trifluoroethanol) feed solutions. In this study, crosslinked PVA composite membranes were prepared by reacting PVA with glutaraldehyde (CA)/acid catalyst onto porous polyethersulfone (PES) supports. SEH images (scanning electron microscopy) showed the thicknesses of selective coating layer was about 2-3 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. The swelling tests showed the dogree of crosslinking decreased as content of the crosslinking agent, GA, increased. Total permeation flux decreased while separation factor increased as the CA content increased. As operating temperature increased, total permeation flux remarkably increased in the range of 85-95 wt% TFEA aqueous solutions. Interestingly, however, separation factor decreased in 85-90 wt% with operating temperature, while that increased in 95 wt%. In case of 90 wt% TFEA concentration and operating temperature 8$0^{\circ}C$, the PVA composite membrane crosslinked with 0.1 mol GA per PVA repeating unit showed high permeation flux of 1.5 kg/$m^2$hr and separation factor of 320. These results confirmed the applicability of the PVA composite membranes for the esterification membrane reactor of TFEMA.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.62-71
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• 2011

Highly enriched oxygen is used in energy-efficient combustion due to decreased non-flammable nitrogen, while high purity nitrogen is used for explosion proof in the LNG ships and keeping the freshness of green stuffs. Membrane technology can be used in these $O_2$ and $N_2$ generation with low energy consumption. In this study, PES was used as a membrane material and 1-methyl-2-pyrollidone (NMP) and acetone were employed as a good solvent and nonsolvent addictive (swelling agent to PES), respectively. Dope solutions were prepared by changing the content of acetone (0, 6.5, 15, 25, 31.5 wt%) in 37 wt% PES solutions. Hollow fiber spinning was performed at 0~10 cm of air-gap distances for each dope solution. $O_2/N_2$ selectivity and permeability were investigated by comparing of hollow fibers coated or not by silicons. $O_2/N_2$ selectivity increased and permeance of $O_2$ and $N_2$ decreased with increasing air-gap height independently of acetone addictions. Optimized PES hollow fibers were obtained with 37/6.5/56.5 wt% PES/acetone/NMP dope solution and 10 cm air-gap, which showed 7.3 of $O_2/N_2$ selectivity and 4.3 GPU of $O_2$ permeability after silicon coating.