Fouling and protein adsorption effect of low-temperature plasma treatment of membrane surfaces

Adsorption of proteins and the effect of the chemical nature of membrane surfaces on protein adsorption were investigated using¹⁴C-tagged albumin and several microporous membranes (polyvinilydene fluoride, PVDF; nylon; polypropylene, PP; and polycarbonate, PC). The membrane surfaces were modified by exposing them to low-temperature plasma of several different monomers (n-butane, oxygen, nitrogen alone or as mixtures) in a radiofrequency plasma reactor. Transients in the permeability of albumin solutions through the membranes and changes in flux of distilled water through the membranes before and after adsorption of albumin were used to investigate the role of protein adsorption on membrane fouling. The results show that the extent of adsorption of albumin on hydrophobic membranes was considerably more than that on hydrophilic membranes. The hydrophilic membranes were susceptible to electrostatic interactions and less prone to fouling. A pore-blocking model was successfully used to correlate the loss of water flux through pores of defined geometry     

Acetylation and molecular mass effects on barrier and mechanical properties of shortfin squid chitosan membranes

Chitosan samples with different N-deacetylation levels were obtained from β-chitin under heterogeneous alkali conditions. Oxidative depolymerisation was performed to attain low-acetylated chitosan samples with different molecular mass. Water vapour permeability, membrane swelling and tensile mechanical properties were analysed in plasticized self-supporting chitosan membranes. The main purpose was to describe unambigously the effect of the biopolymer molecular mass and acetylation degree on these properties. Commercially available chitosan samples derived from α-chitin were also studied for comparison. The equilibrium degree of swelling in water and the water vapour permeability increase by increasing the molecular mass or the degree of acetylation. Regarding the effect on the mechanical properties, generally harder and tougher membranes were obtained for chitosans with higher molecular mass or lower acetylation degree. These observations are tentatively explained based on the different structural characteristics of the polymer and can lead to a better understanding of the tools necessary to tailor a specific type of chitosan membrane.     

Synthesis and properties of a poly(diphenylacetylene) containing carbazolyl groups

1-(p-N-Carbazolylphenyl)-2-phenylacetylene (p-CzDPA) was polymerized by TaCl₅–co-catalyst systems (cocatalysts: n-Bu₁Sn, Et₃SiH, and 9BBN) to produce acetone-insoluble polymers in about 60-70% yields. Poly(p-CzDPA) was a yellowish-orange solid, most part of which was soluble in toluene, chloroform, etc., and its weight-average molecular weights were around 4×10⁵. This polymer formed a tough film by solution casting, and was thermally very stable (the onset temperature of weight loss in TGA in air 470°C). The oxygen per-meability coefficient of the polymer at 25°C was lower than two barrers. The present polymer showed photoconductivity and redox activity. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Permutation representations in molecular symmetry

The reducible representations of the point groups are generally studied because of their relevance to molecular orbital and vibration theory. Triple correlations within the polyhedra are described by group-theoretical invariants that are related to the permutation representations and termed polyhedral isoscalar factors. These invariants are applied in theorems on matrix elements referring to the symmetry-adapted bases at different centres. Further invariants or geometrical weight factors inter-relate different types of reduced matrix elements of irreducible tensors (generalization of the Wigner-Eckart theorem to the polycentric case). As a demonstration a complete tabulation is given for the point group C ₄.     

Use of intermittent jets to enhance flux in crossflow filtration

This paper deals with the influence of a new flow unsteadiness on the permeate fluxes in crossflow filtration. A pneumatically controlled valve generates intermittent jets from the main flow, causing the formation of large vortices moving downstream along the tubular membrane. The main results of the numerical calculation of such flows are given. The experimental study was carried out by filtering a bentonite suspension through an ultrafiltration mineral membrane. Time evolutions of flux were achieved in steady and unsteady operating conditions. Results concerning the influence and limits of the nozzle to tube diameter ratio and the jet velocities are discussed. The applicability of such an unsteady flow is examined with a view to effects on energy consumption and possible viscosity effects.     

溴代及胺交联聚苯醚（PPO）膜的气体透过行为

对聚苯醚(PPO)进行了苯环溴代、甲基溴代以及胺交联,发现苯环溴代可提高O_2、N_2透过率(P),而选择性(α)基本不变。甲基溴代则相反,P降低、α有明显提高。调节两者比例可得到P、α兼优的O_2、N_2分离膜。甲基溴代后进一步胺交联可得到α更高、耐溶剂的膜材料。     

高分子气体分离膜材料的化学结构与气体透过性能之间的关系

本文以硅橡胶和聚酰亚胺为基础,从高分子的化学组成、分子链段的运动能力、侧基的大小及其作用等几个方面,讨论了聚合物的化学结构对其均质膜的气体选择透过性能的影响,以溶解扩散过程对气体分离膜材料的透气行为进行了剖析,井简述高分子化学结构对其成膜时结晶情况的影响及对气体透过的作用;还概述了气体分离膜科学发展的历史以及基本原理.     

高分子-AlCuCl4膜及其气体透过行为探讨

把对一氧化碳具有选择吸附功能的液体吸附剂(AlCuCl_4-甲苯溶液和AlCuCl_4-Pst-甲苯溶液)引入到高分子(EC、Pst、ABS、CA)膜材料中,制成固体膜,考察了膜的气体透过性能,同时初步得出结果认为,膜中的AlCuCl_4以电荷转移配合物形式与高分子配位结合.     

Flow through Porous Media XVI: Electrokinetic Transport Coefficients of Aqueous Solutions of Mercuric Chloride and Glycine through a Sintered Disc Impregnated with a Cellulose Acetate Membrane under a Magnetic Field

The effect of the magnetic field on the electrokinetic transport coefficients (permeability coefficient and electro-osmotic permeability coefficient) of water and aqueous solutions of mercuric chloride and glycine through a sintered disc impregnated with cellulose acetate at different potentials, concentrations, and magnetic fields varying up to 21 kg/cm² are reported at 308.15 K. The phenomenological coefficients characterizing the electro-osmotic flow and the membrane characteristics are also estimated for the various solutions with the object of determining the efficiencies of electrokinetic energy conversion and ζ potential. The effect of magnetic field has been attributed to the molecular orientation of dipoles in solutions and to the change in the structure of the membrane.     

Crystal structure and single crystal EPR of (NH_4)_2(15-crown-5)_3[Cu(mnt)_2] and (NH_4)_2(benzo-15-crown-5)_4[Cu(mnt)_2]·0.5H_2O

The X-ray crystal structures of (NH4)2(15-crown-5)3[Cu(mnt)2] (1) and (NH4)2(benzo-15-crown-5)4- [Cu(mnt)2]·0.5H2O (2) were determined. Two single crystals are composed of distinct structures of ammonium-crown ether supramolecular cation and [Cu(mnt)2]2? anion. The triple-decker dication in complex 1 and a sandwich dimmer in complex 2 were observed. X-Band EPR studies on the single crystals of both complex 1 and complex 2 have been carried out at room temperature, which revealed that complex 2 showed a perfect hyperfine structure of Cu whereas that of complex 1 could not be observed. The principal values and direction cosines of the principal axes of the g and A tensors were computed by a least-squares fitting procedure. The spin density of Cu(II) was estimated according to the principal values of the A tensors and compared well with the results calculated based on DFT method.