Polymer Filter Membranes with Electron-Beam Reagent Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing polymer filter materials are inefficient, requiring large bath volumes, leading to reduced permeability, short service life, and increased fouling, while also being costly and environmentally impactful.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the precipitation of a polymer solution containing a modifying reagent followed by electron beam finishing, where the reagent is fixed covalently within the polymer filter material, eliminating the need for separate impregnation steps and ensuring spatial and temporal proximity of these processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a separate impregnation step is used to apply modifying reagent to the membrane, then the membrane surface can be modified, but the process becomes more complex and requires larger bath volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the impregnation step with the precipitation step by adding the modifying reagent directly to the polymer solution before precipitation. This merging of steps eliminates the need for a separate impregnation process, reducing process complexity while achieving the same modification effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The modifying reagent is added to the polymer solution in advance, before the membrane formation process. This preliminary action ensures the reagent is already present and uniformly distributed when the membrane precipitates, eliminating the need for subsequent impregnation steps.
2Ease of manufacture
If large bath volumes are used for precipitation and impregnation, then complete processing is achieved, but the facility size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining precipitation and impregnation into a single step, the patent eliminates the need for a separate large impregnation bath. The modifying reagent is incorporated during precipitation, allowing the use of smaller bath volumes while achieving complete processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The modifying reagent is pre-added to the polymer solution, ensuring it is already present during precipitation. This eliminates the need for a subsequent impregnation bath, significantly reducing the required facility volume.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the modifying reagent is added after membrane formation, then the membrane structure is already established, but the reagent distribution becomes less homogeneous
Solution Approach 1:
The modifying reagent is added to the polymer solution before membrane formation, ensuring uniform distribution throughout the solution. When the membrane precipitates, the reagent is already evenly distributed, achieving homogeneous incorporation without compromising the membrane structure.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the reagent addition with the membrane formation process, the patent ensures the reagent is incorporated uniformly during precipitation. This simultaneous process ensures both structural stability and homogeneous distribution.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate steps are used for membrane production and modification, then each step can be optimized, but the overall process time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges precipitation and impregnation into a single integrated step, eliminating the time required for a separate impregnation process. This reduces total process time while maintaining the ability to optimize the combined process parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
By adding the modifying reagent in advance during solution preparation, the patent eliminates subsequent impregnation time. The preliminary action ensures the reagent is ready before membrane formation, reducing overall process time without sacrificing optimization opportunities.
5Reliability
If multiple processing steps are used, then thorough treatment is achieved, but energy consumption and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining precipitation and impregnation into one step, the patent reduces the number of heating, cooling, and agitation cycles required. This merging maintains thorough treatment while significantly reducing energy consumption associated with multiple separate processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The modifying reagent is pre-added to the solution, eliminating the need for a separate energy-intensive impregnation step. This preliminary action ensures thorough treatment is achieved during the single precipitation process, reducing overall energy consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a more homogeneous distribution of the modifying reagent, enhancing permeability by up to 90% and doubling the service life, reducing fouling by 60-90%, and decreasing energy consumption by up to 50%, while allowing for a more compact and cost-effective production facility.
Implementation Method 1
precipitation of a moist polymer filter material from a polymer solution containing the dissolved polymer and a modifying reagent in a precipitation bath
Implementation Method 2
electron beam finishing of the still moist polymer filter material from step a) so that the modifying reagent is fixed
Implementation Method 3
the modifying reagent is fixed covalently within the polymer filter material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to polymer filter materials, in particular flat filter membranes or hollow fiber membranes, each made of a polymer. The process comprises the following two steps: a) precipitation of a moist polymer filter material (4) from a polymer solution (1) containing the dissolved polymer and a modifying reagent (3) in a precipitation bath (2), and b) electron beam treatment of the still moist polymer filter material (4) from step a), such that the modifying reagent (3) is fixed.