Polyolefins Journal
With the collaboration of Iran Polymer Society

Preparation and characterization of polyethylene/ glass fiber composite membrane prepared via thermally induced phase separation method

Document Type : Original research

Authors

Ali Behboudi 1, 2
Yoones Jafarzadeh 1, 2
Reza Yegani 1, 2
Ali Akbari 1, 2

1 Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

2 Membrane Technology Research Center, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22063/poj.2016.1418
Abstract
Grinded glass fiber (GGF) embedded high density polyethylene (HDPE) membranes were prepared via thermally induced phase separation method. FESEM images showed that all the membranes had leafy structure, indicating a solid-liquid mechanism during phase separation. The results of EDX and TGA analyses confirmed that the fibers were dispersed in the HDPE matrix uniformly. Normalized water flux of the membranes increased from 1 for the neat HDPE membrane to more than 4 for 10 wt% GGF/HDPE membrane. Moreover, the contact angle decreased from 129° to 94° as the GGF content increased in the membranes, showing an improvement in the surface hydrophilicity of the membranes. The AFM results revealed that the surface roughness of the membranes was increased with increasing the GGF content. The results of abrasion test revealed that the GGF/HDPE membranes had a more abrasion resistance than the neat HDPE membrane. Finally, the fouling behavior of the membranes was investigated by the filtration of BSA protein solution and the results showed that with increasing the glass fiber content, total fouling ratio decreased from 90% for the neat HDPE membrane to 62% for 10 wt% GGF/HDPE membrane, indicating that the antifouling properties of the membranes were improved due to the presence of glass fiber.

Keywords

polyethylene
glass fiber
thermally induced phase separation (TIPS)
abrasion
membrane fouling
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Polyolefins Journal
Volume 4, Issue 2 - Serial Number 8
Spring 2017
Pages 201-212

  • Receive Date 11 September 2016
  • Revise Date 22 November 2016
  • Accept Date 24 December 2016
  • First Publish Date 01 June 2017

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