Surface and permeability properties of membranes from polyelectrolyte complexes and polyelectrolyte surfactant complexes

Surfaces of two polyelectrolyte complex (PELC) membranes based on polyanionic sulfoethylcellulose (SEC) and polycationic poly[dimethyl(diallyl)ammonium chloride] (pDMDAAC) or cationic benzyl(dodecyl)dimethylammonium chloride (BDDDMAC) were studied by means of contact angle measurements in different media, XPS photoelectron spectroscopy and tangential streaming potential measurements. The results of this study were correlated with the pervaporation (PV) characteristics of studied membranes in dehydration process and discussed with regard to the membrane formation conditions, the influence of membrane hydrophilicity on the permselectivity behavior of studied membranes and to the solution–diffusion pervaporation model.