Enhanced anti-swelling property and dehumidification performance by sodium alginate–poly(vinyl alcohol)/polysulfone composite hollow fiber membranes

• Published in: Journal of membrane science Vol. 407-408; pp. 211 - 220
• Main Authors: Li, Yifan, Jia, Huiping, Pan, Fusheng, Jiang, Zhongyi, Cheng, Qinglai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.07.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: artificial membranes; Blend membrane; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Dehumidification; differential scanning calorimetry; Exact sciences and technology; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; General and physical chemistry; Membranes; mixing; Poly(vinyl alcohol); polyvinyl alcohol; Propylene; Sodium alginate; temperature; X-ray diffraction; Propylene; Poly(vinyl alcohol); Sodium alginate; Dehumidification; Blend membrane; Water; Differential scanning calorimetry; Polymeric membrane; Swelling; Alcohol; Selectivity; Positron annihilation; X ray diffraction; Composite material; Operating conditions; Infrared spectrometry; Lifetime; Propene; Cavity; Sodium; Hollow fiber; Membrane
• ISSN: 0376-7388; 1873-3123
• DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2012.03.049

► High dehumidification performance is achieved by NaAlg–PVA blend membrane. ► Membrane structure can be facilely tuned by PVA content in the blend. ► The reduced free volume cavity size lowers the membrane swelling degree. Enhanced membrane dehumidification performance was achieved by physically blending sodium alginate (NaAlg) with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Both flat-sheet homogenous membranes and hollow-fiber composite membranes were prepared and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). When PVA content was 20wt.% and 30wt.%, the blend membranes exhibited lower swelling degree and much higher water/propylene selectivity than both NaAlg and PVA control membranes, resulting from the better-controlled free volume cavity size. In particular, the blend membrane containing 20wt.% PVA showed the best dehumidification performance for propylene-water mixture. Both high water permeance (>10−2cm3(STP)/cm2scmHg) and high selectivity (infinite big) were acquired for 0.13wt.% water in feed under optimized operating conditions (temperature: 298K; feed pressure: 250kPa; feed flowrate: ≥300ml/min).