UF membrane of PVA modified with TDI Original Research Article

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is an excellent membrane material for preparation of hydrophilic ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration membranes. But its chemical constitution and water solubility infer the disadvantage of easier degradation and elimination after use. This study focuses on the modification of interfacial polymerization PVA composite UF membrane with toluene diisocyanate (TDI). The effects of the reaction time and PVA, TDI, sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium hydroxide with different concentrations were investigated on the performances of composite membranes. Anti-fouling to protein and oil was obtained when it was compared with no modified membrane. Also, the recovery ratio of pure water flux of PVA modified UF membrane is higher than that of support membrane.