Very Low Surface Energy (<11 dyn cm-1) Heterophase Polymeric Materials for Membrane Separations: An Integrated Polymer Chemistry/Engineering Approach and The Influence of Backpulsing on Fouling Properties of Novel Nanofiltration Membranes for Wastewater Remediation.

Abstract

Abstract : The focus of our fundamental research program, Very Low Surface Energy (<11 dyn cm(-1)) Heterophase Polymeric Materials for Membrane Separations: An Integrated Polymer Chemistry/Engineering Approach, is to explore several new classes of polymeric materials to identify promising routes for developing low-fouling nanofiltration membranes for wastewater remediation. This objective will be accomplished through an iterative process of polymer synthesis and characterization, membrane fabrication, separation performance characterization, and fouling assessment. Three classes of materials are being evaluated: low surface energy heterophase fluoropolymeric materials (synthesized by DeSimone's group), functionalized nanoporous polymeric membranes with well-defined pore size formed via lyotropic liquid crystalline monomers (in collaboration with Professor Douglas L. Gin at the University of California at Berkeley), and nonporous hydrophilic blend membrane materials (in collaboration with Professor Virgil Percec at Case Western Reserve University). The focus of our closely related research program, The Influence of Backpulsing on Fouling Properties of Novel Nanofiltration Membranes for Wastewater Remediation, is to determine the efficacy of backpulsing to reduce the fouling of nanofiltration membranes.