Permeability Parameters of a Novel Polyamide Membrane

Abstract

The discovery by Loeb and Sourirajan (1) of a technique for preparing anisotropic cellulose acetate membranes having high solvent permeability and good solute rejection characteristics has undoubtedly led to the commercial exploitation of pressure driven membrane separation processes. However, as industrial applications have increased, it has been recognised that cellulose acetate membranes do have severe limitations. They are biodegradable, and subject to attack by strong acids and alkalis (3>pH>8), and creep under reverse osmosis pressures. Their applicability, in ultrafiltration processes in particular, is limited because of their poor resistance to temperature (typically T<50°C) and to sanitizing fluids, and to the relative ease with which they can be irrecoverably fouled by protein solutions.