Separation Science and Technology, Vol.49, No.1, 22-29, 2014
Effect of Cross-Linking Agent Chemistry and Coating Conditions on Physical, Chemical, and Separation Properties of PVA-Psf Composite Membranes
Composite nanofiltration membranes were formed by depositing ultra-thin, cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film on porous polysulfone (PSf) support membranes following a three step dip-coating procedure. The PVA coating films were cross-linked with aliphatic tricarboxylic acids (cis-/trans-aconitic) and aromatic dicarboxylic acids (phthalic, isophthalic, and terephthalic). Tricarboxylic acid cross-linked PVA was less crystalline and slightly more hydrophilic relative to PVA films cross-linked by aromatic dicarboxylic acids suggesting that the tricarboxylic acids are more effective is disrupting PVA crystallinity than the dicarboxylic acids. Cross-linked PVA-PSf composite membranes rejected NaCl and MgSO4 in the order: trans-aconitic acid