Diffusion induced phase separation with crystallizable nylons .2. Relation to final membrane morphology

Intermediate stages during membrane formation by means of immersion precipitation were studied by cryo-substitution for the system nylon 4,6, formic acid and water. The presence, nature and size of solid particles was determined as a function of time and of the distance from the interface. The spherulitic nature of these particles was confirmed by staining the samples. It was shown that at a relatively low nucleation density the concentration profile in the film was hardly influenced by a starting phase separation process, while in a situation with a relatively high number of nuclei per volume concentration patterns must be considerable altered.