Porous Membrane Polymer Composition to Reduce Membrane Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing technologies face challenges in reducing membrane adhesion during the production of porous membranes, which affects the efficiency and performance of membrane modules.
Innovation Solution
A porous membrane comprising a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, where the average ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic polymer ions on the membrane surface, measured by TOF-SIMS, is 1.0 or more, and the membrane is treated with a hydrophilization process followed by an adjustment process to reduce membrane adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a porous membrane is hydrophilized by coating to improve virus removal performance and reduce protein adsorption, then membrane adhesion occurs during production, causing production efficiency to deteriorate and risk of membrane damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the membrane by incorporating both hydrophobic polymers (polysulfone, polyethersulfone) and hydrophilic polymers (polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylonitrile) in specific ratios. This parameter adjustment achieves hydrophilization to improve virus removal performance while controlling membrane adhesion during production, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials consisting of hydrophobic polymer substrates combined with hydrophilic polymer coatings or blends. This composite structure provides both the mechanical strength and selectivity of hydrophobic membranes and the anti-fouling, hydrophilic properties needed for virus removal, while preventing excessive adhesion during manufacturing, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity
2Reliability
If a porous membrane is hydrophilized by coating to improve safety against foreign material contamination, then membrane adhesion occurs, requiring tearing operations that reduce production efficiency and risk membrane damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adjusts the hydrophilicity parameters through controlled polymer blending and coating thickness optimization. By precisely controlling the hydrophilic polymer content and molecular weight distribution, the membrane achieves adequate hydrophilization for safety while minimizing adhesion-induced process complexity, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies hydrophilic modification locally rather than uniformly throughout the entire membrane structure. The hydrophilic polymers are concentrated at the membrane surface or in specific regions where they provide the necessary safety properties, while the bulk membrane structure maintains its original characteristics for easy handling and reduced adhesion, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity
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
The proposed solution effectively reduces membrane adhesion, enhancing the production efficiency of membrane modules and maintaining the performance of the porous membranes.
Implementation Method 1
a porous membrane comprising a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic polymer
Data Source
AI summary
The problem is to provide a porous membrane with a reduced phenomenon in which membranes firmly adhere to one another during production of the porous membrane (membrane adhesion). The problem is solved by a porous membrane comprising a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, wherein an average value T of ratios of the number of counts of ions derived from the hydrophilic polymer to the number of counts of ions derived from the hydrophobic polymer is 1.0 or more when a surface of the porous membrane is measured by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS).