In this study simulations were developed to represent the
solidification and drying stages leading to cellular morphologies common to membranes
made via liquid-liquid (L-L) thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). Diluent-extractant exchange has been experimentally determined to
have a negligible effect on membrane microstructure of the crystalline and semi-crystalline
polymer systems of interest here; consequently, the results from the matrix
solidification simulation are fed directly into a finite element simulation used for the
drying processes. It should be noted that the drying portion of the simulation package is
adaptable to solid-liquid TIPS and non-solvent induced phase separation (phase
inversion) processes of membrane formation by simply changing the geometric structure
in the simulations.
The final simulations developed will describe the sensitivities of the post-coarsening
processes and thereby allow manufacturers to relate porous structure and
performance to the material formation process. Computer simulation of the processes
will allow investigation into different processing conditions, diluents, and extractants
without extensive and expensive laboratory research. The research will have a major
impact in applications where a well-controlled structure is important for separation and
selectivity. By tailoring the morphology of membranes, permeability, rejection, and
selectivity can be optimized for separation applications. Includes figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 710 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 7 |
| Published : | 03/01/2007 |
