• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.76-86
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• 2010

This study investigated the effect of 2-butoxyethanol (BE) as a nonsolvent additive, relative humidity and air contact time on the structure formation of microfiltration membranes, permeation and morphology properties in phase inversion process. The membranes were prepared by using polyethersulfone (PES)/Dimethyl formamide (DMF)/p-toluenesulfonic acid (TSA)/Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/BE casting solution and water coagulant. Casting solutions containing various concentration of BE were exposed to a water vapor, under 60 and 80% of relative humidity for 40 and 90 sec, which would be absorbed on. The correlations between the membrane permeation properties and surface/inner structures of membrane were investigated. The characterization of membranes was carried out by a capillary flow porometer, a FE-SEM and a water permeation test apparatus. The surface structure of PES membranes was affected by the exposure time as well as the relative humidity strongly. Furthermore, the addition of BE helped control surface and inner structure at certain humidity and exposure time.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2018

Hollow fiber (HF) membranes are gaining wide interest over flat membranes due to their compaction and high area to surface volume ratio. This work addresses the fabrication of HF from polysulfone (PS) and polyethersulfone (PES) using N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent in addition to other additives to achieve desired characteristics. The semi-pilot spinning system includes jacketed vessel, four spinneret block, coagulation and washing baths in addition to dryer and winder. Different parameters affecting dry-wet spinning phase inversion process were investigated. Dope compositions of PES, NMP and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) of varying molecular weights as additive were addressed. Some critical parameters of importance were also investigated. Those include dope flow rate, air gap, coagulation & washing baths and drying temperatures. The measured dope viscosity was in the range from 1.7 to 36.5 Pa.s. Air gap distance was adjusted from 20 to 45 cm and coagulation bath temperature from 20 to $46^{\circ}C$. The HF membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM) and mechanical properties. Results indicated prevalence of finger like structure and average surface roughness from about 29 to 78.3 nm. Profile of stress strain characteristics revealed suitability of the fibers for downstream interventions for fabrication of thin film composite membrane. Different empirical correlations were formulated which enable deeper understanding of the interaction of the above mentioned variables. Data of pure water permeability (PWP) confirmed that the fabricated samples fall within the microfiltration (MF)-ultrafiltration (UF) range of membrane separation.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.204-212
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• 2006

A numerical analysis was carried out for separation of carbon dioxide from carbon dioxide/nitrogen gas mixture by a polyethersulfone hollow fiber membrane which has shown a good stability against plasticization by carbon dioxide and an excellent separation efficiency fur carbon dioxide from its gas mixture. A computer program for carbon dioxide separation was developed using the Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 software. Governing module equations were thought to be an initial-value problem and the nonlinear ordinary differential equations were simultaneously solved using the Runge-Kutta-Verner fifth-order method. From results of numerical analysis, the carbon dioxide partial pressure of the feed stream, the pressure ratio of the feed side to the permeate side and the feed gas residence time at the inside of a membrane were found to be very important factors to affect the permeation characteristics of carbon dioxide.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.212-219
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• 2016

The alumina hollow fiber membranes were prepared by spinning and sintering a polymer solution containing suspended alumina powders. For determine pore structure of hollow fiber membranes formed by different solvent-nonsolvent interaction rate, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylacetamide (DMAc), triethylphosphite (TEP) were prepared in dope solution by solvent, polyethersulfone (PESf) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were used as a polymer binder and additive. The pore structure of hollow fiber membranes was characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The alumina hollow fiber membranes prepared by DMSO, DMAc were had the asymmetric structure mixed sponge-like and finger-like morphology, while TEP solvent were had single sponge-like structure. The prepared hollow fiber membranes were analyzed gas permeation and mechanical strength experiment also. The hollow fiber membrane having single sponge-like structure was had high gas permeation performance. On the contrary to this, more finger-like morphology was less gas permeation performance.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.375-380
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• 2007

To recover sericin protein from by-product in silk production process, a polyethersulfone hollow fiber ultra-filtration membrane module was used. The soap in the degummed solution was precipitated by calcium chloride. The influence of membrane module of submerged and external type on membrane fouling was investigated. The effect of soap and protein on the membrane fouling in the external type membrane module was also studied. The removal of soap resulted in decreasing the membrane fouling. It was shown that the protein and the membrane were affected by the soap.

• 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.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.498-504
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• 2011

In this research, hollow fiber membranes were used in order to investigate to permeation and selectivity of the $CH_4$ and $N_2$. Polyimide and polyethersulfone hollow fiber membrane were prepared by the dry-wet phase inversion method and the module was manufactured by fabricating fibers after surface coating with silicone elastomer. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies showed that the produced fibers typically had an asymmetric structure. The permeance of $CH_4$ and $N_2$ were increased with pressure and temperature. However, the selectivity was decreased with increasing temperature. The permeances of $CH_4$ and $N_2$ were decreased with increasing the air gap and the effect of post-treatment on membrane showed the increase in permeance up to 3.2~7.0 times.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.210-219
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• 1998

Sulfonated poly(ether sulfone)(SPES) of various ion exchange capacity (IEC) was prepared by heterogeneous sulfonation with chlorosulfonic acid (CSA) to make hydrophilic ultrafiltration membrane for reducing fouling. The effects of CSA concentration, reaction temperature and reaction time has been investigated. The reaction was effective when the temperature is above 10$\circ$C and the CSA concentration is over 0.05 mol, although polymer chain has been significantly degraded. The substitution of sulfonic acid groups was characterized by FTIR and $^1$H-NMR. Transport properties and fouling test have been conducted to the modified SPES ultrafiltration rnembranrs by heterogeneors method. Membranes were obtained using DCM and PVP as a non-solvent and pore forming agent, respectively. Flux reduced and rejection increased with ion exchange capacity. Finger-like structure was disappeared and the thickness of top layer was increased. Dense membrane by non-solvent DCM and porous membrane by pore forming agent PVP was prepared. Fouling was reduced with increasing ion exchange capacity because of hydrophilicity.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.252-258
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• 2006

A numerical analysis was performed for a separation process of carbon dioxide from a flue gas stream using polyethersulfone hollow fiber membranes. Countercurrent flow governing equations were regarded to be two point boundary-value problem and the nonlinear ordinary differential equation were simultaneously solved using the finite- difference method. A computer program was developed using the Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 software. The carbon dioxide permeate driving force and the fred gas residence time at the inside of membrane were found to be very important factors affecting the permeation characteristics of carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide concentration in the permeate and the flow rate of the permeate were found to be slightly larger by a few percent with a countercurrent flow analysis than those with a cocurrent flow analysis.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.67-79
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• 2021

Mesoporous polystyrene (PS) and polyethersulfone (PES) membranes have been fabricated by reverse-thermally induced phase separation (RTIPS) process, using flash freezing. The mesoporous pores can be created by the nano-scaled phase separation induced by the formation and growth of solvent crystals in the dope solution in RTIPS process. RTIPS process has been characterized through analysis on the enthalpy change in the solvent of the dope solution, the morphology of the membrane fabricated with different polymer content, and the pore size distribution and its standard deviation of pore size of the membrane with polymer content via DSC, SEM, and BET, respectively. It is found that the kinetic aspect of the dope solution, i.e., the crystallization of solvent is a crucial factor to determine the structure of membrane fabricated in RTIPS rather than the thermodynamic aspect of the dope solution.