• 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.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.272-279
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• 2012

The neutral polymer, poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), was coated onto polyamide (PA) thin film composite reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. And then these membranes were investigated for the model foulants, bovine serum albumin (BSA), humic acid (HA), and sodium alginate (SA) whether there are aome improvement. As the operating pressure increased with 2, 4, 8 atm for BSA, HA and SA 100 ppm in feed solution, the fouling phenomena was worse for both none and PSSA coated membranes. The fouling occurred in the sequence of BSA > HA > SA due to the interactions between PVA snd functional groups of foulants, and on the other hand the fouling reduction was observed in the order of HA > BSA > SA. The observation of scanning electron microscopy photographs showed the same trend. As a result, there should be the improvement of fouling phenomena for the PVA coated RO membranes and the case of HA was shown distinct.