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Commercial Membranes (commercial + membrane)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Chemistry	75%

Selected Abstracts

Characterization of anion-exchange membranes containing pyridinium groups

AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 12 2003
Moon-Sung Kang
A poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-divinyl benzene (DVB)-based membrane was prepared via monomer sorption, and then pyridium or its derivates (that is, 4-ethyl pyridium, 4-tetrabutyl pyridium) were introduced into the PVC/poly(GMA-DVB) base membrane. The effects of pyridinium anion-exchangeable sites on the water splitting and the electrochemical properties of the membrane were investigated. The electrochemical properties and the water splitting on the anion-exchange membranes were compared with selected commercial membranes containing quaternary ammonium groups. The pyridium membranes showed good electrochemical properties, comparable to those of the commercial membranes, with electrical resistances of less than 3.0 × 10,4 ,·m2 in 0.5 mol dm,3 NaCl and high ionic permselectivities (the transport number of Cl, ions being 0.96). Moreover, water splitting indicated by the proton transport numbers of the membranes containing pyridinium or its derivates, were about two or three orders of magnitude lower than those of the commercial membranes (such as AM-1) at the same current density because the resonance effect in the quaternary pyridinium groups contributed to their molecular stability. [source]

Melt processed microporous films from compatibilized immiscible blends with potential as membranes

POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 4 2002
M. Xanthos
Microporous flat films with potential as membranes were produced via melt processing and post-extrusion drawing from immiscible polypropylene/polystyrene blends containing a compatibilizing copolymer. The blends were first compounded in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and subsequently extruded through a sheet die to obtain the precursor films. These were uniaxially drawn (100%,500%) with respect to the original dimensions to induce porosity and then post-treated at elevated temperatures to stabilize the resultant structure, which consisted of uniform microcracks in the order of a few nanometers in width. The effects of blend composition and extrusion process parameters on surface and cross-sectional porosity and solvent permeability of the prepared films are presented and related to specific microstructural features of the films before and after drawing. Finite element modeling of the stretching operation in the solid state yielded a successful interpretation of the blend response to uniaxial tension that resulted in microcrack formation. Comparison of some of the novel microporous structures of this work with commercial membranes prepared by solvent-based phase inversion processes suggests comparable pore size and porosity ranges, with narrower pore size distribution. [source]

Physico-Chemical Characterization of Nanofiltration Membranes

CHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 3 2007
Katleen Boussu
Abstract This study presents a methodology for an in-depth characterization of six representative commercial nanofiltration membranes. Laboratory-made polyethersulfone membranes are included for reference. Besides the physical characterization [molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), surface charge, roughness and hydrophobicity], the membranes are also studied for their chemical composition [attenuated total reflectance Fourier spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)] and porosity [positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS)]. The chemical characterization indicates that all membranes are composed of at least two different layers. The presence of an additional third layer is proved and studied for membranes with a polyamide top layer. PAS experiments, in combination with FIB (focused ion beam) images, show that these membranes also have a thinner and a less porous skin layer (upper part of the top layer). In the skin layer, two different pore sizes are observed for all commercial membranes: a pore size of 1.25,1.55 Å as well as a pore size of 3.20,3.95 Å (both depending on the membrane type). Thus, the pore size distribution in nanofiltration membranes is bimodal, in contrast to the generally accepted log-normal distribution. Although the pore sizes are rather similar for all commercial membranes, their pore volume fraction and hence their porosity differ significantly. [source]