MORPHOLOGY OF MICROPOROUS POLY(VINYLIDENE FLUORIDE) MEMBRANES STUDIED BY GAS PERMEATION AND SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

Microporous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes with asymmetric pore structure were prepared by a wet phase inversion process. The polymer was precipitated from a casting solution when immersed in a cold water (gelation) bath. The casting solution was, in most cases, composed of polymer, solvent, and nonsolvent. In this solvent-nonsolvent system, the solvents used were triethylphosphate (TEP) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and the nonsolvents used were glycerol and ethanol. Mean pore sizes and effective porosity of the microporous membranes were calculated using the gas permeation method. They were studied as a function of evaporation time of wet nascent film, polymer molecular weight, concentration of polymer, and concentration of nonsolvent. The morphology of the membranes was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). © 1990.