CHEMICAL MODIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SURFACE OF POLYSULFONE MEMBRANES

Asymmetric porous membranes were prepared from polysulfone by a wet-phase separation procedure. Different chemical modifications were applied to the upper membrane surface, i.e. the surface which was exposed to interaction with nonsolvent (water) in the coagulation bath during the membrane formation. The membrane surface was modified by the series of Friedel-Crafts electrophilic substitutions of aromatic rings in the polysulfone molecules. As a reagent 1-chlorodecane or propylene oxide dissolved in hexane and AlCl3 as a catalyst were used. In the former case a hydrophobic and in the latter one a hydrophilic coating was achieved, respectively. The membrane surface was also modified by sulfonization with sulfuric (VI) acid water solution; in this way negative charges were introduced at the membrane surface. The membranes, unmodified and chemically modified, were characterized by measuring the membrane thickness, the deionized water flux through the membrane, the zeta potential and contact angle. The specific chemical modifications of the membrane surface affect the water flux, the zeta potential and contact angle values whereas the membrane thickness remains unchanged. These effects are interpreted in terms o