Surface characterization and interfacial analysis of organic membranes: an investigation on electrical and wettability phenomenon.

The characterization of membrane properties represents an essential step towards the understanding and prediction of membrane filtration performance. Herein, surface properties of commercial polymeric membranes were investigated in terms of surface charge and wetting characteristics. Streaming potential measurements showed that the studied membranes (NF270, NF90, BW30LE and BW30) were negatively charged in electrolytic solutions at neutral pH which is related to the polymeric composition of the active layer. Contact angle measurements were performed to evaluate qualitatively the wettability/hydrophilicity of the membranes and quantitatively by evaluating electron donor and acceptor functionalities and interfacial free energies of each membrane surface. NF270 was the most hydrophilic membrane with a high wettability degree (θ = 33.2°, –ΔG Sw = 133.55 mJ/m²), Furthermore, the wettability parameters were correlated to membrane permeability, in order to better understand the wetting/hydrophilic behavior. This study on the electrical and wettability properties are of importance to select the appropriate membrane prior operation where the performance is related to the surface characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Desalination & Water Treatment is the property of Balaban Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)