Poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(ether sulfone)-g-poly(ether glycol) methyl ether methacrylate blend membranes with improved ultrafiltration performance and fouling resistance

To enhance the permeability, hydrophilicity, and antifouling properties of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membranes, in this study, poly(ether glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) was grafted onto poly(ether sulfone) (PES) to first synthesize PES-g-PEGMA. Then, PES-g-PEGMA was blended with PVC (with blend ratios of PVC/PES-g-PEGMA that varied from 10 : 0 to 7 : 3) through the non-solvent-induced phase separation method to fabricate PVC/PES-g-PEGMA blend membranes. Shear viscosity and Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection experiments showed that PVC/PES-g-PEGMA was a partially compatible system and that it was more compatible than a PVC/PES blending system. The contact angle, equilibrium water content, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements confirmed that the PVC/PES-g-PEGMA blend membranes had a stronger hydrophilicity than the pure PVC membranes. Additionally, the results of this experiment also show that the PVC/PES-g-PEGMA blend membranes exhibited a higher permeability and superior antifouling properties than the pure PVC membranes, and the optimum blend ratio of the PVC/PES-g-PEGMA blend membranes was 7 : 3. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41726.