Preparation of fiber core support UHMWPE/SiO₂ composite hollow fiber membrane toward enhancing structure stability and antifouling

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to reduce the severe shrinkage of the UHMWPE membrane during low‐concentration molding processing. In this study, using SiO2 inorganic particles as inner reinforced materials and copper fibers as core support bodies significantly improved the structural stability of the membrane. Compared with the UHMWPE membrane, the shrinkage of the length and diameter of the Cu@UHMWPE/SiO2 membranes decreased by 84% and 61%, respectively, and the pure water flux increased by 322%. Copper fiber as a support material reduced the shrinkage of the membrane and improved pore connectivity. The tensile strength of Cu@UHMWPE/SiO2 was 6.8 MPa. Additionally, the Cu@UHMWPE/SiO2 membrane exerted a better antifouling performance. This study provided a new method to improve the structural stability of the UHMWPE membrane.

Engineering Polymer-Based Porous Membrane for Sustainable Lithium-Ion Battery Separators

“…Moreover, this polymer exhibits remarkable impact strength under ordinary ambient conditions and retains robust impact resistance even at low temperatures [ 168 , 169 , 170 , 171 , 172 ]. Notably, the resultant membrane possesses superior microporous structure, exceptional puncture resistance, outstanding mechanical properties, unparalleled chemical resistance, and thermal stability, as well as ultra-high wear and impact resistance [ 173 , 174 , 175 , 176 , 177 ]. Furthermore, these separators are relatively cost-effective, thus enhancing their appeal for large-scale commercial production [ 7 ].…”

“…In recent years, scientists have focused primarily on functionalizing PE membranes through surface modification to enhance properties including wettability, strength, and thermal and dimensional stability, encompassing both inorganic and organic coatings [ 23 , 81 , 178 , 179 ]. Specifically, inorganic reinforcement materials, such as SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , ZrO 2 and so on, can be incorporated into the PE matrix to prevent membrane deformation under elevated temperature conditions and further enhance the safety of LIBs, due to their excellent heat resistance and function as a physical skeleton [ 81 , 173 , 180 ].…”

“…Notably, UHMWPE has occupied a substantial market share in commercial LIB separators, owing to its superior microporous structure, puncture resistance, mechanical strength, chemical resistance, cost-effectiveness, thermal stability, and so on [ 173 , 174 , 175 , 176 , 177 ]. Just like conventional PE-based components, the performance of a UHMWPE membrane can also be enhanced when used as a battery separator through the introduction of inorganic materials (e.g., SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , and ZrO 2 ) and organic materials (e.g., PVDF, PMMA) to enhance thermal stability and improve the safety of LIBs [ 173 , 180 ]. As an illustration, Babiker et al [ 99 ] efficiently engineered and industrialized UHMWPE/SiO 2 nanocomposite membranes for the first time by means of a biaxial stretching without additional post-modifications.…”

Preparation of porous membrane for moisture absorption from high‐humidity gases

“…In comparison to submerged nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) [26][27][28] and thermally induced phase separation (TIPS), 29,30 the solvent evaporation-induced phase separation (SEIPS) does not require the addition of pore-forming agent to obtain membranes with loose porous structures, such as polyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, inorganic salts, and so on, whereas the membrane structures prepared by NIPS and TIPS methods are typically denser. 31 Sun et al 32 used the SEIPS method to prepare polylactic acid membranes and formed a linked structure with 87.5% porosity on the membrane surface by regulating the polymer solution content and humidity.…”