Antifouling enhancement of PVDF membrane tethered with polyampholyte hydrogel layers

Abstract

The preparation and property of antifouling poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane tethered with polyampholyte hydrogel layers were described in this work. In fabricating these membranes, the [2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride and 2‐acrylamide‐2‐methyl propane sulfonic acid monomers were grafted onto the alkali‐treated PVDF membrane to yield polyampholyte hydrogel layers via radical copolymerization with N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide as crosslinking agent. The analyses of fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm the covalent immobilization of polyampholyte hydrogel layer on PVDF membrane surface. The grafting density of polyampholyte hydrogel layer increases with the crosslinking agent growing. Especially for the membrane with a high grafting density, a hydrogel layer can be observed obviously, which results in the complete coverage of membrane pores. Because of the hydrophilic characteristic of grafted layer, the modified membranes show much lower protein adsorption than pristine PVDF membrane. Cycle filtration tests indicate that both the reversible and irreversible membrane fouling is alleviated after the incorporation of polyampholyte hydrogel layer into the PVDF membrane. This work provides an effective pathway of covalently tethering hydrogel onto the hydrophobic membrane surface to achieve fouling resistance. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1367–1373, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers

Preparation and characterization of a novel hydrophilic PVDF/PVA UF membrane modified by carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes

“…, the fouling resistance ratios change identically with the FRR%. MC 9010 009 has the highest reversible fouling ratio and the lowest total fouling ratio, representing the best membrane surface antifouling ability among the modified composite membranes . Moreover, the MWCNTs‐COOH modified composite membranes have higher reversible ratios and lower irreversible fouling ratios than the pure membrane, except MC 9010 012, for which the reversible ratio is 1.7% lower, but its total fouling ratio was decreased by 5.8%.…”

Antifouling poly(vinylidene fluoride) hollow fiber membrane with hydrophilic surfaces by ultrasonic wave‐assisted graft polymerization

“…As one of the most popular membrane materials, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) has been widely used in environmental management, electronics, medicine, gas separation, and biotechnology due to its superior chemical stability, thermal stability, mechanical properties, and ease of film formation . However, because of its intrinsic hydrophobicity and low surface energy, PVDF hollow fiber membrane has two problems in the treatment of water‐based fluids : (1) It is easy to adsorb organic pollutants, causing pore clogging and the layers of contaminants; (2) Organic pollutants provide living conditions to adherent microorganisms, gradually forming irreversible pollution. There was considerable interest in improving the hydrophilicity of PVDF membrane that might form a hydrated layer to inhibit protein adsorption on the membrane surface .…”

“…As one of the most popular membrane materials, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) has been widely used in environmental management, electronics, medicine, gas separation, and biotechnology due to its superior chemical stability, thermal stability, mechanical properties, and ease of film formation [1][2][3]. However, because of its intrinsic hydrophobicity and low surface energy, PVDF hollow fiber membrane has two problems in the treatment of water-based fluids [4]: (1) It is easy to adsorb organic pollutants, causing pore clogging and the layers of contaminants;…”

Improving the antifouling property of polypropylene hollow fiber membranes by in situ ultrasonic wave‐assisted polymerization of styrene and maleic anhydride

“…Therefore, how to restrain the fouling phenomenon during membrane processes has widely been studied and numerous methods have been exploited . The surface hydrophilization of hydrophobic membranes is a practicable and effective method for coping with membrane fouling phenomenon.…”