Fouling-resistant ceramic-supported polymer membranes for ultrafiltration of oil-in-water microemulsions

摘要

Fouling-resistant ultrafiltration ceramic-supported polymer (CSP) ultrafiltration membrane was developed for the treatment of oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions. The CSP zirconia-based membrane was prepared via free-radical graft polymerization of vinylpyrrolidone onto the membrane surface. Pore reduction of about 25-28/100 was encountered upon modification as revealed by hydraulic permeability measurements. Oil rejection was higher for grafted membranes with smaller resultant pore size. Atomic force microscopy imaging of polymer-modified surfaces showed complete surface coverage by the polymer chains.