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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik
CPP 15: Poster Session I
CPP 15.59: Poster
Montag, 17. März 2025, 19:00–21:00, P4
Water flow decrease of track-etched polyethylene terephthalate membranes in filtration applications — •Ana Ambroz1,2, Zhen Yao2, Christopher Rojas3, Polina Angelova2, Irena Petrinic1, and Armin Gölzhäuser2 — 1Univeristy of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia — 2University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany — 3CNM Technologies GmbH, Bielefeld, Germany
Track-etched (TE) membranes, with their precise pore size, controlled porosity, and defined pore geometry, are industrially applied as highly sensitive and fast filters for bacteria in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, as control barriers in glucose sensors, and as biomolecule selective barrier in implants. Additionally, they are being investigated for their potential in reverse and forward osmosis for water purification and cold concentration. However, their tendency to lose performance over time presents a significant challenge, particularly in high-throughput and durable applications. In this work, we evaluate the performance of track-etched polyethylene terephthalate (TE-PET) membranes as nano- and microfilters in low-pressure reverse osmosis (LPRO) and dead-end filtration systems. Monitoring water flux through the TE-PET membranes at different low pressures (0.02-10 bar) revealed a gradual decrease over time, varying with porosity and pore size. Specifically, membranes with low porosity (<1.5%) and small pore sizes (<1.5 um) exhibited a significant reduction in water flux. The decline is attributed to membrane swelling and the formation of a sol-gel film within the pores, with additional contributing factors discussed.
Keywords: Track-etched support; Polyethylene terephthalate; Water filtration; Swelling; Sol-gel film