Polysulfone membranes II. Performance comparison of polysulfone-poly-(N-vinyl-pyrrolidone) membranes

✍ Scribed by C.M. Tam; T.A. Tweddle; O. Kutowy; J.D. Hazlett

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 733 KB
• Volume: 89
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0011-9164
• DOI: 10.1016/0011-9164(93)80142-a

✦ Synopsis

The characteristic behaviour of the polysulfone (PSF), poly-(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) ultrafiltration membrane casting solution system was investigated. Solutions containing different weight percentages of PSF and PVP were prepared. Zero-shear casting solution viscosities were determined. Membranes were then cast using the phase inversion technique and characterized by a series of separation experiments using polyethylene glycols of varying molecular weights as test solutes. A simple pore flow model was fitted to the resulting separation data to provide estimates of the average pore radius. The resistance to fluid transport for a given membrane pore radius was described by the ratio of the number of pores per unit membrane area to the effective pore length. These two parameters were used to compare the performance of laboratory cast polysulfone membranes with data for several commercial products. *Issued as NRC No. 34234.