• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.185-190
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• 2012

Rejection characteristics of perchlorate ($ClO_4^-$) were examined for commercially available reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes. A bench-scale dead-end stirred-cell filtration system was employed to determine the toxic ion rejection and the membrane flux. Model water solutions were used to prepare $ClO_4^-$ solutions (approximately, $1,000{\mu}g/L$) in the presence of background salts (NaCl, $Na_2SO_4$, and $CaCl_2$) at various pH values (3.5, 7, and 9.5) and solution ionic strengths (0.001, 0.01, and 0.01 M NaCl) in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). Rejection by the membranes increased with increasing solution pH owing to increasingly negative membrane charge. In addition, the rejection of the target ion by the membranes increased with increasing solution ionic strength. The rejection of $ClO_4^-$ was consistently higher for the RO membrane than for the NF membrane and $ClO_4^-$ rejection followed the order $CaCl_2$ < NaCl < $Na_2SO_4$ at conditions of constant pH and ionic strength for both the RO and NF membranes. The possible influence of NOM on $ClO_4^-$ rejection by the membranes was also explored.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2023

Composite membranes consisting of TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) and porous polymers have been widely utilized in photocatalytic water treatment because the composite membranes can allow an easy recovery of NPs after the photocatalytic reaction as well as the reduction of fouling in the membrane. However, the photocatalytic efficiency of the immobilized TiO₂ NPs in the composite membranes has been discussed to a limited degree. In this study, we prepared polyethersulfone (PES)/TiO₂ composite membranes to study the photocatalytic decomposition of organic dyes under light illumination. The decomposition kinetics of dye molecules by the PES/TiO₂ composite membranes and colloidal TiO₂ NPs have been compared to discuss the photocatalytic efficiency of NPs before and after their immobilization on the polymer membrane.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 1999

Recently, many studies for the supported liquid membrane (SLM) using a carrier have been actively reported. Polymeric cation exchange membrane was synthsized by dissolving monensin carrier of antibiotic material in organic solvent. Then the SLM was applied to the Nernst-Planck and Fick equations and membrane potential and membrane permeability were measured respectively. The results showed the high selectivity towards alkali metal ions and the SLM showed linear relationship with low concentration. However, linear relationship did not appear at high concentration. This is explained by means of the new theory of the stagnant layer and the slop of logarithm value was linear for the up-hill transport phenomena of membrane transport.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.313-318
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• 2017

For the separation of olefins/paraffins, $Poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)/AgBF_4/Al(NO_3)_3/Ag_2O$ composite membranes were prepared. When $Ag_2O$ was introduced, the initial selectivity and permeance of composite membranes were observed to be 13.7 and 21.7 GPU, respectively. The increase in performance compared to the initial performance of $PEO/AgBF_4/Al(NO_3)_3$ membrane (selectivity 13 and permeance 7.5 GPU) was thought to be due to the increase of Ag ion activity due to the addition of $Ag_2O$. However, performance degradation over time was observed, which was thought to be due to the polymer matrix PEO. Since the PEO polymer could not stabilize the $Ag_2O$ particles, the $Ag_2O$ particles becmae aggregated together as the solvent evaporates, and $Ag_2O$ acts as a barrier. As a result, the permeance decreases over time.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.551-559
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• 1997

The stability of liquid membrane in the extraction process was investigated through the extraction of the Zn component by using W/O/W emulsion type liquid surfactant membrane which was $D_2EHPA-Kerosene-Span$ $80-H_2SO_4$ system. The highest stability for liquid membrane through the Zn extraction process was obtained under the following conditions. That conditions were that span 80 concentration, as surfactant, of 2~3 vol.%;$D_2EHPA$ concentration, as extractant, of 5~7 vol.%;paraffin oil concentration, as membrane strengthening agent, of 10 vol.%;emulsion volume ratio to the external aqueous phase volume of 0.1, and internal aqueous phase volume ratio to the organic phase volume of 1.0.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.445-449
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• 2012

The activation process of the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) is important for the mass production of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The conventional activation process for the MEA requires excessive time and hydrogen gas and it might become the barrier for the commercialization of the fuel cell. The conventional activation process is based on hydrolysis of ion conducting membrane. In the study, we suggest the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique as an on-line activation process and the CV activation process consists of two steps : 1) the humidification of the polymer electrolyte membrane and the electrode with 100% RH humidified nitrogen ($N_{2}$) gas, and 2) the removal step of the oxide layer on the surface of the Pt catalyst with CV cycling. The cycling reduces the activation time of the MEA by 2.5 h and use of hydrogen gas by 1/4.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.564-572
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• 2012

A terpolymer of vinylbenzyl chloride-co-ethyl methacrylate-co-styrene (VBC-EMA-St) was prepared for membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) by radical polymerization and amination reaction of various amination times. Nonfluoro aminated VBC-EMA-St anion-exchange membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry. Molecular weight, polydispersity and thermal stability were obtained by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The basic properties such as water uptake, ion exchange capacity, electrical resistance and CDI charge-discharge current were measured. The optimal values of ion exchange capacity, water uptake, electrical resistance and molecular weight of synthesized anion-exchange membrane were 1.69 meq/g, 23.7%, 1.61 ${\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ and $3.4{\times}10^4$ g/mol, respectively. As compared with conventional membrane, the pattern of cyclic charge-discharge current of synthesized anion-exchange membrane indicated efficient electrosorption and desorption.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.438-447
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• 2014

The amorphous and porous borosilicate without any cracks was obtained under the following condition : 0.01~ 0.10 mole ratio of trimethylborate (TMB)/ tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and the temperature of $700{\sim}800^{\circ}C$. According to the BET and SEM measurements, borosilicate heat-treated in between 700 and $800^{\circ}C$ showed the surface area of $251.12{\sim}355.62m^2/g$, the pore diameter of 3.5~4.9 nm, and the particle size of 30~60 nm. According to the TGA measurements, the thermal stability of poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)propyne](PTMSP) membrane was enhanced by inserting borosilicate. SEM observation showed that the size of dispersed borosilicate in the composite membrane was $1{\mu}m$. The results showed that the permeability of $H_2$ and $N_2$ increased and the selectivity of $H_2/N_2$ decreased upon the addition of borosilicate into PTMSP membranes. Addition of borosilicate may possibly increase the free volume, cavity and porosity of membranes indicating that permeation occurred by molecular sieving, surface and Knudsen diffusion rather than solution diffusion of gases.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.85-95
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• 2024

Direct air capture (DAC) technology plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change. Reports from the International Energy Agency and climate change emphasize its significance, aiming to limit global warming to 1.5 ℃ despite continuous carbon emissions. Despite initial costs, DAC technology demonstrates potential for cost reductions through research and development, operational learning, and economies of scale. Recent advancements in high-permeance polymer membranes indicate the potential of membrane-based DAC technology. However, effective separation of CO₂ from ambient air requires membranes with high selectivity and permeability to CO₂. Current research is focusing on membrane optimization to enhance CO₂ capture efficiency. This study underscores the importance of direct air capture, evolving cost trends, and the pivotal role of membrane development in climate change mitigation efforts. Additionally, this research delved into the theoretical background, conditions, composition, advantages, and disadvantages of permeance and selectivity in membrane-based DAC.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.329-338
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• 2019

The constant-pressure and constant-flux membrane filtration experiments of alumina colloidal solution are performed to investigate defouling effect of the natural convection instability flow (NCIF) induced in membrane module. The permeate flux at constant-pressure and the transmembrane pressure (TMP) at constant-flux experiments are measured by changes the inclined angle (0, 90 and 180°) of membrane module to the gravity, and flux results are analyzed by using the blocking filtration model. NCIF are more induced as the inclined angles increased from 0° to 180°, and the maximum induced NCIF at 180° angle enhances flux to 2.8 times and reduces TMP to 85% after two-hour operation. As a result of analyzing flux data by applying the blocking filtration model, it is more reasonable to analyze them by using the intermediate blocking model within 15-minute operation time and then thereafter times by using the cake filtration model. The induced NCIF at 180° angle reduces the intermediate blocking fouling at 52% in the early operation time of 15-minute and thereafter the cake layer fouling at 93%. The main membrane fouling control mechanism of NCIF induced in membrane module is evaluated as suppressing the formation of the cake layer of particulate colloidal materials on membrane surface.