Cellulose acetate and polyetherimide blend ultrafiltration membranes: II. Effect of additive

Ultrafiltration membranes are largely applied in the separation of heavy metal ion and macromolecular solutes from aqueous streams. Studies are presented on ultrafiltration blend membranes, based on cellulose acetate (CA) and polyetherimide (PEI) in various blend compositions. Polyethylene glycol (PEG 600) was employed as a non‐solvent additive in various concentrations to the casting solution to improve the ultrafiltration performance of the resulting membranes. The blend membranes prepared were characterized in terms of compaction time, pure water flux (PWF), water content, membrane resistance, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The molecular weight cut‐off (MWCO) obtained from the protein separation studies is also reported. Applications of these membranes for separating toxic metal ions from aqueous streams are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.