Physicochemical processes occurring during the formation of cellulose diacetate membranes. Research of criteria for optimizing membrane performance. V. Cellulose diacetate–acetone–water–inorganic salt casting solutions

Abstract

AbstractConsideration was given to the effects of casting conditions upon the performance and structure of membranes prepared from CA–acetone–water–inorganic salt solutions. Treating casting solutions as polymer–solvent–nonsolvent ternary systems, the data on equilibrium phase separation conditions were plotted in a triangular diagram for solutions containing Al(NO3)3, KSCN, Mg(ClO4)2 or no additive. Measurements of casting solution viscosity, membrane thickness, freezing and nonfreezing water contents were used to supplement flux and retention data of membranes made by varying the inorganic salt and holding time in a systematic way. With the aid of scanning and transmission electron microscopy, it was concluded that membranes may consist of one, two, three, or four layers. The data and correlations obtained allow us to propose a mechanism of formation for each of these layers.