Preliminary study on the preparation and characterization of mixed matrix membranes

• Main Author: Ong, Geraldine Hui Ying.
• Other Authors: Wang Rong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/44665
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In the membrane contactor applications, membranes have shown the potential for various applications such as gas separation of CO2. In this context, hydrophobic membranes are required for wetting prevention. If wetting occur, the mass transfer resistance will be increase significantly which lead to a much lower flux. The Final Year Project targets to make hydrophobic membranes that are suitable for membrane contactor application.Two methods were explored. One of which was to incorporate inorganic particles such as the carbon nano-tubes (CNTs) into the membrane dope before the fabrication process to alter the membrane surface roughness and hence change the surface contact angle. One of the limitations to the MMM is the incorporation of inorganic fillers as it would create a phase boundary with the polymeric membrane matrix. As such, good dispersion of CNT in the polymer dope is crucial in making the MMM. Poly (Vinylidene Fluoride) (PVDF) was used as the polymer to fabricate the flat sheet membrane. The COOH modified CNTs was used to ensure homogeneous dispersion of the CNTs in the polymer dope solution. However, the experimental results showed that incorporated CNT have no effect on the surface roughness and contact angle. The mixed matrix PVDF membrane was also tested to investigate the effect of CNT on the membrane performance. The results showed that the flux was increased a lot by adding CNT and meanwhile the rejection was also maintained.