Abstract
Asymmetric ceramic-polymer membranes were prepared by dry and wet phase inversion processes using dispersions containing cellulose acetate, acetone, water and colloidal alumina particles. When the alumina content is low, the microstructure contains macrovoids (pore diameter ∼ 15 μm) below a dense polymer rich skin. The addition of greater amounts of alumina results in a microstructural transition from macrovoids to a uniform small pore network (pore diameter ∼ 2μm). However, the alumina particles have a negligible effect on the porosity of the dense skin that forms at the air/membrane or water immersion bath/ membrane interface. In all membranes, the alumina particles are unagglomerated and uniformly dispersed throughout the cellulose acetate network. Changes in the microstructure are attributed to delayed phase separation of cellulose acetate in the presence of ceramic particles.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 43-49 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Membrane Science |
| Volume | 104 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 15 1995 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Support from the 3M Company and a fellowship from the Upjohn Company are gratefully acknowl- edged. The use of facilities at the Center for Interfacial Engineering Microscopy Center is also acknowledged.
Copyright:
Copyright 2014 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Cellulose acetate/alumina
- Diffusion
- Macrovoids
- Membrane preparation and structure
- Microporous and porous membranes