On the formation of macrovoids in PMMA membranes |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway;2. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan;1. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0046, United States;2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0046, United States;1. Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China;2. College of Liberal Arts and Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073, People’s Republic of China;3. College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, People’s Republic of China;1. School of Engineering and Science, Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University Malaysia, CDT 250, Miri 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia;2. School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Penang, Malaysia |
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| Abstract: | In this work, the formation of macrovoids in two membrane formation systems was investigated. The polymer and the coagulant used in these two systems were the same: PMMA and water, but the solvents used to dissolve PMMA were different – NMP for one system (system A) and acetone/Tween 80 solution for the other (system B). According to SEM and AFM analyses, it was found that, although the macrostructures of the membranes fabricated by systems A and B are similar, the microstructures are different. On the basis of optical observation of the growth of macrovoids, it is proposed that the difference in the microstructure can be explained by the difference in the growth mechanism of macrovoids: the growth of macrovoids is by convection for system A and by diffusion for system B. The difference in the growth mechanism of macrovoids can also account for some other differences between systems A and B: system B is more sensitive to the casting thickness than system A, and the addition of salt in the coagulation bath can effectively inhibit the growth of macrovoids in system B but not in system A. |
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