Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/IGEPAL blend asymmetric membranes: preparation, morphology, and performance

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes are widely applied in many chemical engineering fields. In this research, novel asymmetric PAN membranes with high hydrophilicity and permeability were prepared from a PAN/polyoxyethylene (40) nonylphenyl ether (IGEPAL)/NMP system via immersion precipitation. Pure water was used as the gelation medium. The effects of adding IGEPAL, the coagulation bath temperature (CBT), and the PAN concentration on the morphology, wettability, and permeability of the prepared membranes were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurement, and permeation experiments. The results demonstrated that both the hydrophilicity and the permeability of the prepared membranes were significantly enhanced by the addition of IGEPAL surfactant to the casting solution. Also, it was found that decreasing the PAN concentration and increasing CBT resulted in the formation of membranes with high permeability and sublayer porosity.