Morphology and transport study of phase inversion polysulfone membranes

Two different types of polysulfone (PS) membranes were prepared by the phase inversion process utilizing water or isopropanol as nonsolvent. The Flory—Huggins theory for a ternary system nonsolventisolventipolymer is applied to describe the thermodynamic equilibria of the components. The calculated ternary phase equilibria show that demixing of a PS binary solution with n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) will be fast in a water coagulation bath and will be delayed in an isopropanol bath The prepared membranes were characterized by SEM, gas adsorption-desorption technique, and permeability measurements. The membrane, which is precipitated by fast demixing in a water bath, has nodular structures in the skin region and includes finger-like cavities in the sublayer. The membrane coagulated by isopropanol has a very dense and thick skin structure, which is formed by delayed demixing. The membrane coagulated by isopropanol showed considerably lower pore volume and surface area compared to that observed with water Co-Rtilation method.