Poly(vinylidene fluoride) with improved functionalization for membrane production

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was modified by chemical treatments in order to obtain a functionalized polymer suitable for the preparation of ultrafiltration membranes with improved hydrophilicity and fouling resistance. Membranes obtained from the modified polymer as well as from the unmodified one were characterized through pure water permeability measurements and ultrafiltration tests with a dilute solution of skim milk. The fouling tendency of the membranes was measured from the relative reduction in water permeability before and after ultrafiltration. Dense films were also prepared and characterized through contact angle measurement in order to obtain a preliminary evaluation of the hydrophobicity. Vibrational spectroscopy (FT-IR and FT-Raman) techniques were effectively used to investigate the functionalities introduced by the chemical treatments. (C)2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.