Synthesis of Alginate-Chitosan Polyelectrolyte Complex (PEC) Membrane and Its Physical-Mechanical Properties

Synthesis of alginate-chitosan polyelectrolyte membrane and the determination of the physical-mechanical properties were carried out. Alginate-chitosan polyelectrolyte complex membrane can be made by mixing hydrosol alginate and chitosan hydrosol with a ratio of 1: 1 at pH 5.28. Membranes of alginate-chitosan polyelectrolyte complexes produced have physical-mechanical properties including load, elongation and elasticity, water absorption and resistance better than the constituent polymers. The results of FTIR spectroscopy analysis showed that there was an electrostatic interaction between alginate and chitosan through protonated amine groups of chitosan and carboxylic groups from alginate. Surface analyses by SEM showed that morphology of alginate-chitosan polyelectrolyte complex membrane was different with single membrane morphology

Covalent crosslinked polyelectrolyte complex membrane with high negative charges towards anti-natural organic matter fouling nanofiltration

Removal of natural organic matter (NOM) from drinking water by membrane technology is attracting increasing attention.

Use of graft-modified membranes for water treatment

Membranes with designed surface and filtration properties were prepared by grafting and adsorption of polyelectrolyte multilayer systems on membrane surfaces using the layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly technique. Microfiltration membranes with a first polyelectrolyte layer grafted onto the surface showed excellent stability during the filtration process. Although a two-fold higher permeate flux was observed for a three-layer polyelectrolyte complex membrane compared to a just grafted one, the protein retention did not change remarkably. Additionally, a reduced protein adsorption was detected by in-situ ATRFTIR spectroscopy for the case of repulsive electrostatic forces between the substrate and the protein under applied test conditions.