Understanding Aging Mechanisms in the Context of UV Irradiation of a Low Fouling and Self-Cleaning PVDF-PVP-TiO Hollow-Fiber Membrane.

In the context of designing a photocatalytic self-cleaning/low-fouling membrane, the stability of PVDF-PVP-TiO hollow-fiber membranes under UV irradiation has been studied. The effect of irradiation power, aqueous environment composition and fouling state on the properties of the membranes has been investigated. With this aim, SEM observations, chemical analysis and tensile strength measurements have been conducted.

Performance of PVDF-TiO Membranes during Photo-Filtration in the Presence of Inorganic and Organic Components.

In this study, the anti-fouling performance of PVDF-TiO composite membranes, indicated by their permeate flux, was studied with different types of synthetic feed solutions. Photo-filtration (filtration under continuous UV irradiation) of solutions containing inorganic and organic components, which are ubiquitous in drinking/natural water, was performed to evaluate their influence on the photo-induced properties and performance of the membranes. The results indicated that inorganic fouling was unlikely to occur on PVDF-TiO membranes, and the presence of common inorganic ions in drinking water did not hinder their performance.

Hollow-Fiber Membrane Contactor for Biogas Recovery from Real Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor Permeate.

This study demonstrates the application of hollow-fiber membrane contactors (HFMCs) for the recovery of biogas from the ultrafiltration permeate of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) and synthetic effluents of pure and mixed CH and CO. The developed membrane degassing setup was coupled with a pilot-scale AnMBR fed with synthetic domestic effluent working at 25 °C. The membrane degassing unit was able to recover 93% of the total dissolved CH and 83% of the dissolved CO in the first two hours of permeate recirculation.

Influence of Preparation Temperature on the Properties and Performance of Composite PVDF-TiO Membranes.

Composite PVDF-TiO membranes are studied extensively in literature as effective anti-fouling membranes with photocatalytic properties. Yet, a full understanding of how preparation parameters affect the final membrane structure, properties and performance has not been realized. In this study, PVDF-TiO membranes (20 wt% TiO/PVDF) were fabricated via the non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) method with an emphasis on the preparation temperature.

Asymmetric Solvent-Annealed Triblock Terpolymer Thick Films Topped by a Hexagonal Perforated Lamellar Nanostructure.

Asymmetric and nanostructured polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO or SVEO, S:V:EO ≈ 56:34:10, 79.5 kg mol ) thick films blended with 20 wt% of a short PS homopolymer (hPS, 10.5 kg mol ) are achieved by combining the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process with a solvent vapor annealing (SVA) treatment.

Mechanistic Study of the Kinetic Phenomena Influencing the Bacteriostatic Action of Silver Ions in Agar Bioassays.

Bacteriostatic action of a biocidal agent results from the cumulative impact of different kinetics, including those of bacterial growth, mass transfer of the agent and its antibacterial action against the targeted bacteria. Current studies on bacteriostatic effects always directly consider the combination of these kinetics at given times, without discrimination between each other. This work introduces a novel approach, consisting of first studying independently, by the experiment and the model, the different kinetics involved, and then in coupling these kinetics to obtain a model that will be confronted with experimental data.

Pb doped ZnO nanoparticles for the sorption of Reactive Black 5 textile azo dye.

In this study, Pb doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by a sol-gel technique for the sorption of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) textile dye in aqueous solution. The ZnO:Pb (2 and 4%) nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and cryogenic nitrogen adsorption method. The average size of the synthesized nanoparticles was less than 100 nm and the surface areas were 18.

Vacuum membrane distillation of seawater reverse osmosis brines.

Seawater desalination by Reverse Osmosis (RO) is an interesting solution for drinking water production. However, because of limitation by the osmotic pressure, a high recovery factor is not attainable. Consequently, large volumes of brines are discharged into the sea and the flow rate produced (permeate) is limited.