Skip to main content
Passa alla visualizzazione normale.

VALERIO MARIA BARTOLO BRUCATO

Coagulation bath composition and desiccation environment as tuning parameters to prepare skinless membranes via diffusion induced phase separation

  • Authors: Montesanto, S.; Mannella, G.; Carfì Pavia, F.; La Carrubba, V.; Brucato, V.
  • Publication year: 2015
  • Type: Articolo in rivista (Articolo in rivista)
  • Key words: membranes; morphology; phase behavior; porous materials; Materials Chemistry2506 Metals and Alloys; Polymers and Plastics; Surfaces, Coatings and Films; Chemistry (all)
  • OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/149123

Abstract

Diffusion Induced Phase Separation (DIPS) is a currently used technique to produce porous membranes for a large variety of applications. A strong limitation is represented by the occurrence of a dense skin, which is formed during the process, highly reducing the membrane permeability. To overcome this issue, two modifications of the standard DIPS protocol were investigated: the use of coagulation baths composed by a solvent/nonsolvent mixture and the desiccation in a controlled environment, by modulating the partial pressure of nonsolvent vapor. An appropriate choice of coagulation bath composition, together with an appropriate desiccation protocol (i.e., the use of a nonsolvent vapor), will produce a skinless membrane, and offers the chance to control the morphology of both membrane surfaces. These results underline the importance of post-treatment stage in membrane preparation via phase separation, thus suggesting that membrane washing/drying stage will affect the final morphology.