6533b862fe1ef96bd12c748f

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Convective electrodiffusion processes through graft-modified charged porous membranes

subject

description

Convective diffusion and electrophoresis across a charged porous membrane showing variable permeability properties were studied. The membrane used was prepared by grafting poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) onto a porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. The degree of grafting was selected to be relatively low, 18 wt%, to compromise between the ion selectivity and hydraulic permeability of the membrane. The possible electric field induced effects on the membrane permselectivity were examined after the membrane had been characterized by convective diffusion and concentration cell potential measurements. The measured electrophoresis data, however, could be modelled using the extended Teorell–Meyer–Sievers theory, which indicates that the membrane studied shows no variable permeability behaviour with respect to a weak applied external electric field. This conclusion was also further confirmed by separation experiments carried out with ternary salt solutions.