Permeability and transport model of epoxy membranes with various surface morphologies

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 130; no. 4; pp. 2938 - 2946
• Main Authors: Luo, Yu-Shun, Cheng, Kuo-Chung, Wang, Chiu-Ya, Chang, Yi-Min, Wu, Ying-Hong, Chen, Yi-Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, NJ Blackwell Publishing Ltd 15.11.2013; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Exchange resins and membranes; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Materials science; membranes; morphology; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymers; porous materials; separation techniques; Technology of polymers; Polyamine; separation techniques; Transport properties; Porous membrane; Epoxy resin; Curing (plastics); Experimental study; Modeling; Structure processing relationship; membranes; Morphology; Phase separation; Property structure relationship; porous materials; Porosity; Liquid permeability
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.39510

ABSTRACT Epoxy membranes that have interconnected pores with different surface structures were synthesized using the chemically induced phase separation process. The epoxy membrane was produced from a mixture of epoxy resin, D.E.R. 331, and the curing agent, 2,4,6‐tris‐(dimethylaminomethyl) phenol (DMP‐30) in diisobutyl ketone, while covered with a contacting film. It was found that the surface morphology of the epoxy membranes could be changed by the fraction of DIBK, or by using different contacting films of which the surface pore sizes ranged from 0.15 through 2.4 μm. Furthermore, ethanol permeabilities through the epoxy membranes were measured. The permeabilities are approximately 3–4700 L/m2 h bar and depend on either the bulk morphology or the skin structure of the membranes. The epoxy membranes with various porosities and ethanol permeabilities could be also prepared using different compositions of the DMP‐30 and diethylene triamine (DETA)) mixture. A modified Hagen–Poiseuille equation was proposed to describe the effects of the surface and bulk porosity on ethanol permeability. It was found that at low permeabilities, most of the resistance of the surface layers is higher than that of the bulk section. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2938–2946, 2013