• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.35-49
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• 2012

In membrane processes, various agents are used to enhance, protect, and recover membrane performance. Applying these agents in membrane modification could potentially be considered as a simple method to improve membrane performance without additional process. Citric acid (CI) and sodium bisulfite (SB) are two chemicals that are widely used in membrane feed water pretreatment and cleaning processes. In this work, preadsorptions of CI and SB were developed as simple methods for polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane modification. It was found that hydrogen bonding and Van Der Waals attraction could be responsible for the adsorptions of CI and SB onto membranes, respectively. After modification with CI or SB, the membrane surfaces became more hydrophilic. Membrane permeability improved when modified by SB while decreased a little when modified by CI. The modified membranes had an increase in PEG and BSA rejections and better antifouling properties with higher flux recovery ratios during filtration of a complex pharmaceutical wastewater. Moreover, membrane chlorine tolerance was elevated after modification with either agent, as shown by the mechanical property measurements.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.27-42
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• 2015

In this study, poly (phenylene oxide) (PPO) and poysulfone (PSf) were sulfonated and aminated respectively. Both sulfonated poly (phenylene oxide) (SPPO) and aminated polysulfone (APSf) were characterized via the measurement of FT-IR, swelling degree, ion exchange capacity (IEC), and ion conductivity. Then the surfaces of these membranes were modified by surface fluorination using 2000 ppm $F_2$ gas against $N_2$ gas for 1 h at room temperature. The surface fluorinated SPPO and APSf membranes were characterized again to determine any differences between the pristine and fluorinated membranes. In total, 3 types of bi-polar membranes were prepared by varying the IEC of the APSf and having a fixed value for the IEC of the SPPO. The hypochlorite concentration generated by using the surface fluorinated membranes was dependent on the IEC of the APSf and ranged from 683 to 826 ppm, while there was a considerable improvement in the durability of the surface fluorinated membranes as they remained intact even after operating for 4 h.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.331-337
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• 2006

In the present study we investigated the relationship between the morphology and mechanical properties of electrospun polysulfone (PSF)/polyurethane (PU) blend nonwovens, by using the electrospinning process to prepare three types of electrospun nonwovens: PSF, PU and PSF/PU blends. The viscosity, conductivity and surface tension of the polymer solutions, were measured by rheometer, electrical conductivity meter and tensiometer, respectively. The electrospun PSF/PU blend nonwovens were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and with a universal testing machine. The SEM results revealed that the electrospun PSF nonwoven had a structure consisting of cross-bonding between fibers, whereas the electrospun PU nonwoven showed a typical, point-bonding structure. In the electrospun PSF/PU blend nonwovens, the exact nature of the point-bonding structure depended on the PU contents. The mechanical properties of the electrospun PSF/PU blend nonwoven were affected by the structure or the morphology. With increasing PU content, the mechanical behaviors, such as Young's modulus, yield stress, tensile strength and strain, of the electrospun PSF/PU blend nonwovens were by up to 80%.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2013

Biocarrier beads with dead biomass, Bacillus drentensis, immobilized in polymer polysulfone were synthesized to remove heavy metals from wastewater. To identify the sorption mechanisms and theoretical nature of underlying processes, a series of batch experiments were carried out to quantify the biosorption of Pb(II) and Cu(II) by the biocarrier beads. The parameters obtained from the thermodynamic analysis revealed that the biosorption of Pb(II) and Cu(II) by biomass immobilized in biocarrier beads was a spontaneous, irreversible, and physically-occurring adsorption phenomenon. Comparing batch experimental data to various adsorption isotherms confirmed that Koble-Corrigan and Langmuir isotherms well represented the biosorption equilibrium and the system likely occurred through monolayer sorption onto a homogeneous surface. The maximum adsorption capacities of the biocarrier beads for Pb(II) and Cu(II) were calculated as 0.3332 and 0.5598 mg/g, respectively. For the entire biosorption process, pseudo-second-order and Ritchie second-order kinetic models were observed to provide better descriptions for the biosorption kinetic data. Application of the intra-particle diffusion model showed that the intraparticle diffusion was not the rate-limiting step for the biosorption phenomena. Overall, the dead biomass immobilized in polysulfone biocarrier beads effectively removed metal ions and could be applied as a biosorbent in wastewater treatment.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2018

Maillard reaction products like melanoidins present in industrial fermentation wastewaters are complex compounds with various functional properties. In this work, novel ultrafiltration (UF) mixed matrix membrane (MMM) composed of polysulfone (PSF) and nanocomposites was prepared through a phase inversion process for the recovery of melanoidins. Nanocomposites were prepared with acid functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as the reinforcing filler for chitosan-thermoplastic starch blend. Higher nanocomposites content in the PSF matrix reduced the membrane permeability and melanoidins retention indicating tighter membrane with surface defects. The membrane surface defects could be sealed with dilute polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution. The best performing membrane (1% nanocomposites in 18% PSF membrane sealed with 0.25% PVA coating) resulted in uniform melanoidins retention of 98% and permeability of 3.6 L/m2 h bar over a period of 8h. This demonstrates a low fouling PSF membrane for high melanoidins recovery.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.191-199
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• 2022

In industrial production, the development of traditional polyamide nanofiltration (NF) membrane was limited due to its poor oxidation resistance, complex preparation process and high cost. In this study, a composite NF membrane with high flux, high separation performance, high oxidation resistance and simple process preparation was prepared by the method of dilute solution dip coating. And the sulfonated polysulfone was used for dip coating. The results indicated that the concentration of glycerin, the pore size of the based membrane, the composition of the coating solution, and the post-treatment process had important effects on the structure and performance of the composite NF membrane. The composite NF membrane prepared without glycerol protecting based membrane had a low flux, when the concentration of glycerin increased from 5% to 15%, the pure water flux of the composite NF membrane increased from 46.4 LMH to 108.2 LMH, and the salt rejection rate did not change much. By optimizing the coating system, the rejection rate of Na₂SO₄ and PEG1000 was higher than 90%, the pure water flux was higher than 40 LMH (60psi), and it can withstand 20,000 ppm.h NaClO solution cleaning. When the post treatment processes was adjusted, the salt rejection rate of NaCl solution (250 ppm) reached 45.5%, and the flux reached 62.2 LMH.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 2002

Small angle light scattering (SALS) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) have been used to investigate the light scattering patterns with time evolved during water vapor quenching (relative humidity of 53 (${\pm}3)%$ at $26^{\circ}C$ of polysulfone (PSf)/NMP/Alcohol and chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (CPVC)/THF/Alcohol, respective1y. Time dependence of the position of the light scattering maximum was observed at PSf dope solutions, confirming spinodal decomposition (SD), while CPVC dope solutions showed a decreased scattered light intensity with an increased q-value, indicating nucleation & growth (NG). For the each system, domain growth rate in the intermediate and late stage of phase separation decreased with increasing the number of carbon of alcohol used as additive (non-solvent). Also, in the early stage for SD, the scattering intensity with time was in accordance with Cahn's linear theory of spinodal decomposition, regardless of types of non-solvent additive. Also, the size scales obtained by SALS were mutually compared to domain sizes gained by FE-SEM measurement. These observations of scattering pattern were much clearly observed for the 20PSf/70NMP/10n-butanol (w/w%) and agreed with the theoretical predictions for scattering patterns of each stage like the early, the intermediate, and the late stage of SD type phase separation. As the scattering maximum was observed at the larger angles (larger q) in the order of n-butanol > n-propanol > methanol > no alcohol, the pore size of final morphology decreased.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.453-462
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• 2014

Thin film composite (TFC) polyamide (PA) membranes were prepared on polyester (PET) nonwoven reinforced polysulfone supports for forward osmosis (FO) processes. PSF (polysulfone) supports were prepared via the phase inversion process from PSF casting solutions in dimethyl formamide (DMF) solvents (19 wt%) by using a PET nonwoven (thickness of $100{\mu}m$) as a mechanical reinforcing material for reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. The PSF support from 19 wt% of DMF/PSF casting solution showed sponge-like morphology and asymmetric internal structure. To reduce the internal concentration polarization in FO operation, thin ($20{\mu}m$ of thickness) nonwoven-supported PSF supports were prepared by using PSF/DMF casting solution (9~19 wt%). A desirable support structure with a highly porous sponge-like morphology were achieved from the thin nonwoven-supported PSF layer prepared with 9~12 wt% casting solution. A crosslinked aromatic polyamide layer was fabricated on top of each support to form a TFC PA membrane. The tested sample from 12 wt% of DMF/PSF casting solution presented outstanding FO performance, almost 5.5 times higher water flux (24.3 LMH) with low reverse salt flux (RDF, 1.5 GMH) compared to a thick nonwoven rainforced membrane (4.5 LMH of flux and 3.47 GMH of RSF). By reducing the thickness of the nonwoven and optimizing PSF concentration of casting solution, the morphology of the prepared membranes were changed from a dense structure to a porous sponge structure in the boundary area between nonwoven and PET support layer.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.277-285
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• 2011

Polysulfone (PSf) membranes were prepared via the phase inversion process. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was added as a nonsolvent additive in the casting solution containing a mixture of PSf and n-methylpyrrolidone. The added PVP played a role of enhancing liquid-liquid phase separation of the casting solution, and significantly reduced the solution fluidity. When prepared via the diffusion-induced process using water as a precipitation nonsolvent, the solidified membranes revealed a typical asymmetric structure irrespective of the addition of PVP. With 5 wt% PVP content, the finger-like cavities were more developed in the membrane sublayer compared to that of the membranes prepared without PVP. In contrast, with more than 10 wt% of PVP, the formation of finger-like cavities was suppressed, and the thickness of polymer nodule layer was increased. The surface porosity was also increased with the PSf content in the casting solution. The water permeability curve as a function of PVP addition revealed the inflection point. The maximum water permeability for 12 wt% PSf membrane was obtained with 5 wt% PVP content, and that for 18 wt% PSf membrane with 15 wt% PVP.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.36-37
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• 1996

폴리술폰을 이용한 분리막의 제조에 있어서 용매 및 조성의 변화에 따른 상도의 작성은 매우 큰 정보를 제공한다. 즉 상도를 통해서 상분리 현상을 예측할 수 있게 되어서 막의 미세구조를 조절할 수 있게 되고, 막의 미세구조를 조절함으로써 투과 분리 특성을 향상시킬 수 있게 된다. 본 실험에서 사용된 고분자는 폴리술폰(Udel P-3500)이며, 용매로는 NMP와 THF를 사용하였다. 실험적으로 흐림점을 측정하여 binodal line을 얻었으며 문헌값, 계산값, 실험값 등을 통한 interaction parameter 값들로 부터 binodal line과 spinodal line을 구하여 실험값과 비교 하였다.