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Tethering methoxy polyethylene glycols to improve the antifouling property of PSF/PAA‐blended membranes
Author(s) -
Yu Haijun,
Cao Yiming,
Kang Guodong,
Liu Jianhui,
Li Meng
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.35611
Subject(s) - membrane , polysulfone , ultrafiltration (renal) , chemical engineering , contact angle , attenuated total reflection , materials science , biofouling , polymer chemistry , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , polyethylene glycol , acrylic acid , surface modification , fouling , chemistry , copolymer , polymer , chromatography , composite material , biochemistry , engineering
Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was used as an additive to fabricate blended polysulfone (PSF) ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. Hexanediamine was used as a crosslinking agent to react with PAA and formed an active surface with amine group. Then, an end carboxyl group methoxy polyethylene glycol (MPEG) was grafted on the membrane surface via an amidation reaction. Water contact angle measurement indicated that the surface hydrophilicity of PSF/PAA‐blended membranes and MPEG‐modified membranes remarkably increased. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR/FTIR) was used to confirm the existence of PAA in the blended membranes and the change of chemical composition. Membrane surface and cross‐sectional morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscope. The flux of pure water increased slightly after modification, while the rejection to bovine serum albumin had no obvious change. The improvement of antifouling property for MPEG‐modified membrane was accordant with the increase of PAA content in PSF/PAA‐blended membranes. Protein UF experiments revealed that membrane fouling, especially irreversible membrane fouling, was remarkably reduced due to the incorporation of MPEG. The long‐term protein UF experiment demonstrated the improvement of recycling property and the reliability of modification. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012