A novel approach to fabricate interconnected sponge-like and highly permeable polyvinylidene fluoride hollow fiber membranes for direct contact membrane distillation

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 60; pp. 262 - 272
• Main Authors: Wang, Ziyi, Sun, Linquan, Wang, Qin, Li, Baoan, Wang, Shichang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical engineering; Contact; Distillation; Exact sciences and technology; Exchange resins and membranes; Fibers; Flux; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Hollow fiber membrane; Interconnected sponge structure; Membrane distillation; Membrane separation (reverse osmosis, dialysis...); Membranes; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polyvinylidene fluoride; Polyvinylidene fluorides; Porosity; Technology of polymers; Tensile strength; Thermally induced phase separation; Thermally induced phase separation; Hollow fiber membrane; Interconnected sponge structure; Polyvinylidene fluoride; Membrane distillation; Transport properties; Porous membrane; Mechanical properties; Experimental study; Dimension spectrum; Water permeability; Structure processing relationship; Gas permeability; Pore size; Solvent spinning; Morphology; Phase separation; Vinylidene fluoride polymer; Hollow fiber; Porosity; Growth from solution
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2014.09.015

[Display omitted] •Interconnected sponge-like PVDF hollow fibers were prepared by TIPS method for MD.•The structure and performance of the hollow fibers were investigated.•The maximum MD flux of the hollow fibers reached 77.6kg/(m2h). A novel, environmental friendly approach was introduced to fabricate polyvinylidene fluoride hollow fiber membranes with interconnected sponge-like structure and high permeability for membrane distillation. The effect of different parameters on the morphologies and properties of the membranes were investigated. The pore size and porosity were in the range of 0.20–0.40μm and 61.07–79.36% respectively. The maximum tensile strength was 6.941MPa. The nitrogen flux under 0.2MPa and pure water flux were as high as 44L/(m2s) and 4290L/(m2atmh) respectively. The direct contact membrane distillation flux reached 77.6kg/(m2h). The membranes prepared by this method meet the requirements of direct contact membrane distillation.