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Sample records for potentiometric polymeric membrane

  1. Potentiometric sensors using cotton yarns, carbon nanotubes and polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guinovart, Tomàs; Parrilla, Marc; Crespo, Gastón A; Rius, F Xavier; Andrade, Francisco J

    2013-09-21

    A simple and generalized approach to build electrochemical sensors for wearable devices is presented. Commercial cotton yarns are first turned into electrical conductors through a simple dyeing process using a carbon nanotube ink. These conductive yarns are then partially coated with a suitable polymeric membrane to build ion-selective electrodes. Potentiometric measurements using these yarn-potentiometric sensors are demonstrated. Examples of yarns that can sense pH, K(+) and NH4(+) are presented. In all cases, these sensing yarns show limits of detection and linear ranges that are similar to those obtained with lab-made solid-state ion-selective electrodes. Through the immobilization of these sensors in a band-aid, it is shown that this approach could be easily implemented in a wearable device. Factors affecting the performance of the sensors and future potential applications are discussed.

  2. Potentiometric determination of trypsin using a polymeric membrane polycation-sensitive electrode based on current-controlled reagent delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yan; Ding, Jiawang; Qin, Wei

    2012-12-01

    A potentiometric biosensor for the determination of trypsin is described based on current-controlled reagent delivery. A polymeric membrane protamine-sensitive electrode with dinonylnaphthalene sulfonate as cation exchanger is used for in situ generation of protamine. Diffusion of protamine across the polymeric membrane can be controlled precisely by applying an external current. The hydrolysis catalyzed with trypsin in sample solution decreases the concentration of free protamine released at the sample-membrane interface and facilitates the stripping of protamine out of the membrane surface via the ion-exchange process with sodium ions from the sample solution, thus decreasing the membrane potential, by which the protease can be sensed potentiometrically. The influences of anodic current amplitude, current pulse duration and protamine concentration in the inner filling solution on the membrane potential response have been studied. Under optimum conditions, the proposed protamine-sensitive electrode is useful for continuous and reversible detection of trypsin over the concentration range of 0.5-5UmL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.3UmL(-1). The proposed detection strategy provides a rapid and reagentless way for the detection of protease activities and offers great potential in the homogeneous immunoassays using proteases as labels. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Potentiometric polymeric membrane electrodes for mercury detection using calixarene ionophores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyagi, Sonika; Agarwal, Himanshu; Ikram, Saiqa

    2010-01-01

    It is here established that potentiometric polymeric membrane electrodes based on electrically neutral ionophores are a useful analytical tool for the detection of heavy metal ions from environmental and industrial waste water. PVC based membrane containing p-tert-butyl-calix[4]arenethioether derivative as active material along with sodiumtetraphenylborate (NaTPB) as solvent mediator and dibutylphthalate as a plasticizer in the ratio 45:9:460:310 (w/w%) (I:NaTPB:DBP:PVC) exhibits good properties with a Nernstian response of 29.50+/-1.0 mV per decade of activity and a working concentration range of 7.2 x 10(-8)-1.0 x 10(-1) M. The electrode gave more stable potential readings when used around pH 2.5-6.8 and exhibits fast response time of 14 s. The sensors were found to work satisfactorily in partially non-aqueous media up to 40% (v/v) content of acetone, methanol or ethanol and could be used over a period of 7-9 months. Excellent selectivity for Hg(2+) ions is indicated by match potential method and fixed interference method. The sensors could be used successfully in the estimation of mercury in different sample.

  4. Reporter-free potentiometric sensing of boronic acids and their reactions by using quaternary ammonium salt-functionalized polymeric liquid membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xuewei; Yue, Dengfeng; Lv, Enguang; Wu, Lei; Qin, Wei

    2014-02-18

    The tremendous applications of boronic acids (BAs) in chemical sensing, medical chemistry, molecular assembly, and organic synthesis lead to an urgent demand for developing effective sensing methods for BAs. This paper reports a facile and sensitive potentiometric sensor scheme for heterogeneous detection of BAs based on their unexpected potential responses on quaternary ammonium salt-doped polymeric liquid membranes. (11)B NMR data reveal that a quaternary ammonium chloride can trigger the hydrolysis of an electrically neutral BA in an aprotic solvent. Using the quaternary ammonium salt as the receptor, the BA molecules can be extracted from the sample solution into the polymeric membrane phase and undergo the concomitant hydrolysis. Such salt-triggered hydrolysis generates H(+) ions, which can be coejected into the aqueous phase with the counterions (e.g., Cl(-)) owing to their high hydrophilicities. The perturbation on the ionic partition at the sample-membrane interface changes the phase boundary potential and thus enables the potentiometric sensing of BAs. In contrast to other transduction methods for BAs, for which labeled or separate reporters are exclusively required, the present heterogeneous sensing scheme allows the direct detection of BAs without using any reporter molecules. This technique shows superior detection limits for BAs (e.g., 1.0 × 10(-6) M for phenylboronic acid) as compared to previously reported methods based on colorimetry, fluorimetry, and mass spectrometry. The proposed sensing strategy has also been successfully applied to potentiometric indication of the BA reactions with hydrogen peroxide and saccharides, which allows indirect and sensitive detection of these important species.

  5. Potentiometric flow injection system for determination of reductants using a polymeric membrane permanganate ion-selective electrode based on current-controlled reagent delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Wenjing; Ding, Jiawang; Liang, Rongning; Qin, Wei

    2011-10-17

    A polymeric membrane permanganate-selective electrode has been developed as a current-controlled reagent release system for potentiometric detection of reductants in flow injection analysis. By applying an external current, diffusion of permanganate ions across the polymeric membrane can be controlled precisely. The permanganate ions released at the sample-membrane interface from the inner filling solution of the electrode are consumed by reaction with a reductant in the sample solution thus changing the measured membrane potential, by which the reductant can be sensed potentiometrically. Ascorbate, dopamine and norepinephrine have been employed as the model reductants. Under the optimized conditions, the potential peak heights are proportional to the reductant concentrations in the ranges of 1.0×10(-5) to 2.5×10(-7)M for ascorbate, of 1.0×10(-5) to 5.0×10(-7)M for dopamine, and of 1.0×10(-5) to 5.0×10(-7)M for norepinephrine, respectively with the corresponding detection limits of 7.8×10(-8), 1.0×10(-7) and 1.0×10(-7)M. The proposed system has been successfully applied to the determination of reductants in pharmaceutical preparations and vegetables, and the results agree well with those of iodimetric analysis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Detecting Levels of Polyquaternium-10 (PQ-10) via Potentiometric Titration with Dextran Sulphate and Monitoring the Equivalence Point with a Polymeric Membrane-Based Polyion Sensor

    OpenAIRE

    Ferguson, Stephen A.; Wang, Xuewei; Meyerhoff, Mark E.

    2016-01-01

    Polymeric quaternary ammonium salts (polyquaterniums) have found increasing use in industrial and cosmetic applications in recent years. More specifically, polyquaternium-10 (PQ-10) is routinely used in cosmetic applications as a conditioner in personal care product formulations. Herein, we demonstrate the use of potentiometric polyion-sensitive polymeric membrane-based electrodes to quantify PQ-10 levels. Mixtures containing both PQ-10 and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) are used as model sample...

  7. Extraction or adsorption? Voltammetric assessment of protamine transfer at ionophore-based polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garada, Mohammed B; Kabagambe, Benjamin; Amemiya, Shigeru

    2015-01-01

    Cation-exchange extraction of polypeptide protamine from water into an ionophore-based polymeric membrane has been hypothesized as the origin of a potentiometric sensor response to this important heparin antidote. Here, we apply ion-transfer voltammetry not only to confirm protamine extraction into ionophore-doped polymeric membranes but also to reveal protamine adsorption at the membrane/water interface. Protamine adsorption is thermodynamically more favorable than protamine extraction as shown by cyclic voltammetry at plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membranes containing dinonylnaphthalenesulfonate as a protamine-selective ionophore. Reversible adsorption of protamine at low concentrations down to 0.038 μg/mL is demonstrated by stripping voltammetry. Adsorptive preconcentration of protamine at the membrane/water interface is quantitatively modeled by using the Frumkin adsorption isotherm. We apply this model to ensure that stripping voltammograms are based on desorption of all protamine molecules that are transferred across the interface during a preconcentration step. In comparison to adsorption, voltammetric extraction of protamine requires ∼0.2 V more negative potentials, where a potentiometric super-Nernstian response to protamine is also observed. This agreement confirms that the potentiometric protamine response is based on protamine extraction. The voltammetrically reversible protamine extraction results in an apparently irreversible potentiometric response to protamine because back-extraction of protamine from the membrane extremely slows down at the mixed potential based on cation-exchange extraction of protamine. Significantly, this study demonstrates the advantages of ion-transfer voltammetry over potentiometry to quantitatively and mechanistically assess protamine transfer at ionophore-based polymeric membranes as foundation for reversible, selective, and sensitive detection of protamine.

  8. Direct evidence of ionic fluxes across ion-selective membranes: a scanning electrochemical microscopic and potentiometric study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gyurcsányi, R E; Pergel, E; Nagy, R; Kapui, I; Lan, B T; Tóth, K; Bitter, I; Lindner, E

    2001-05-01

    Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) supplemented with potentiometric measurements was used to follow the time-dependent buildup of a steady-state diffusion layer at the aqueous-phase boundary of lead ion-selective electrodes (ISEs). Differential pulse voltammetry is adapted to SECM for probing the local concentration profiles at the sample side of solvent polymeric membranes. Major factors affecting the membrane transport-related surface concentrations were identified from SECM data and the potentiometric transients obtained under different experimental conditions (inner filling solution composition, membrane thickness, surface pretreatment). The amperometrically determined surface concentrations correlated well with the lower detection limits of the lead ion-selective electrodes.

  9. Influence of phosphate buffer and proteins on the potentiometric response of a polymeric membrane-based solid-contact Pb(II) ion-selective electrode

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Joon, Narender Kumar; He, Ning; Wagner, Michal

    2017-01-01

    In this work, the influence of phosphate buffer and proteins on the potentiometric response of a polymeric membrane-based solid-contact Pb2+-selective electrode (Pb2+-ISE) was studied. The effects of bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption at the surface of the ion-selective membrane combined...... ions studied (Cu2+, Cd2+). Conditioning of the Pb2+-ISE in 0.01 mol dm–3 PBS resulted in a super-Nernstian response which was related to fixation/extraction of Pb2+ in the ion-selective membrane via precipitation of Pb3(PO4)2 by PO43– anions present in PBS. By conditioning of the Pb2+-ISE in 0.01 mol...

  10. Detecting Levels of Polyquaternium-10 (PQ-10) via Potentiometric Titration with Dextran Sulphate and Monitoring the Equivalence Point with a Polymeric Membrane-Based Polyion Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson, Stephen A; Wang, Xuewei; Meyerhoff, Mark E

    2016-08-07

    Polymeric quaternary ammonium salts (polyquaterniums) have found increasing use in industrial and cosmetic applications in recent years. More specifically, polyquaternium-10 (PQ-10) is routinely used in cosmetic applications as a conditioner in personal care product formulations. Herein, we demonstrate the use of potentiometric polyion-sensitive polymeric membrane-based electrodes to quantify PQ-10 levels. Mixtures containing both PQ-10 and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) are used as model samples to illustrate this new method. SLS is often present in cosmetic samples that contain PQ-10 (e.g., shampoos, etc.) and this surfactant species interferes with the polyion sensor detection chemistry. However, it is shown here that SLS can be readily separated from the PQ-10/SLS mixture by use of an anion-exchange resin and that the PQ-10 can then be titrated with dextran sulphate (DS). This titration is monitored by potentiometric polyanion sensors to provide equivalence points that are directly proportional to PQ-10 concentrations.

  11. Functionalization of PVC membrane with ss oligonucleotides for a potentiometric biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shishkanova, T V; Volf, R; Krondak, M; Král, V

    2007-05-15

    A novel application of a single stranded (ss) oligonucleotide as an active component of polymeric membrane in an ion-selective electrode (ISE) is described. The original oligonucleotides, oligo(dA)(15), modified by cholesterol, triphenylmethyl and hexadecyl derivatives, were immobilized into poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane using extraction protocol. In parallel, the adsorption protocol was used to immobilize unmodified oligo(dA)(15) on the PVC membrane based on tridodecylmethyammonium chloride (TDDMA(+)Cl(-)). Immobilization of ss oligonucleotide probe through spacer was more effective for the potentiometric detection of the hybridization between complementary oligonucleotides. It was found that cholesterol-oligo(dA)(15) modified membranes were sensitive toward complementary oligo(dT)(15) in the concentration range 2-80 nM at pH 7. An explanation for the detection mechanism is proposed.

  12. A polymeric liquid membrane electrode responsive to 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine oxidation for sensitive peroxidase/peroxidase mimetic-based potentiometric biosensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xuewei; Yang, Yangang; Li, Long; Sun, Mingshuang; Yin, Haogen; Qin, Wei

    2014-05-06

    The oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) has great utility in bioanalysis such as peroxidase/peroxidase mimetic-based biosensing. In this paper, the behaviors of TMB oxidation intermediates/products in liquid/liquid biphasic systems have been investigated for the first time. The free radical, charge transfer complex, and diimine species generated by TMB oxidation are all positively charged under acidic and near-neutral conditions. Electron paramagnetic resonance and visible absorbance spectroscopy data demonstrate that these cationic species can be effectively transferred from an aqueous phase into a water-immiscible liquid phase functionalized by an appropriate cation exchanger. Accordingly, sensitive potential responses of TMB oxidation have been obtained on a cation exchanger-doped polymeric liquid membrane electrode under mildly acidic and near-neutral conditions. By using the membrane electrode responsive to TMB oxidations, two sensitive potentiometric biosensing schemes including the peroxidase-labeled sandwich immunoassay and G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based DNA hybridization assay have been developed. The obtained detection limits for the target antigen and DNA are 0.02 ng/mL and 0.1 nM, respectively. Coupled with other advantages such as low cost, high reliability, and ease of miniaturization and integration, the proposed polymeric liquid membrane electrode holds great promise as a facile and efficient transducer for TMB oxidation and related biosensing applications.

  13. Label-free and substrate-free potentiometric aptasensing using polycation-sensitive membrane electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Jiawang; Chen, Yan; Wang, Xuewei; Qin, Wei

    2012-02-21

    A potentiometric label-free and substrate-free (LFSF) aptasensing strategy which eliminates the labeling, separation, and immobilization steps is described in this paper. An aptamer binds specifically to a target molecule via reaction incubation, which could induce a change in the aptamer conformation from a random coil-like configuration to a rigid folded structure. Such a target binding-induced aptamer conformational change effectively prevents the aptamer from electrostatically interacting with the protamine binding domain. This could either shift the response curve for the potentiometric titration of the aptamer with protamine as monitored by a conventional polycation-sensitive membrane electrode or change the current-dependent potential detected by a protamine-conditioned polycation-sensitive electrode with the pulsed current-driven ion fluxes of protamine across the polymeric membrane. Using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a model analyte, the proposed concept offers potentiometric detection of ATP down to the submicromolar concentration range and has been applied to the determination of ATP in HeLa cells. In contrast to the current LFSF aptasensors based on optical detection, the proposed strategy allows the LFSF biosensing of aptamer/target binding events in a homogeneous solution via electrochemical transduction. It is anticipated that the proposed strategy will lay a foundation for development of potentiometric sensors for LFSF aptasensing of a variety of analytes where target binding-induced conformational changes such as the formation of folded structures and the opening of DNA hairpin loops are involved.

  14. Optimization of the thickness of a conducting polymer, polyaniline, deposited on the surface of poly(vinyl chloride) membranes: a new way to improve their potentiometric response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shishkanova, T V; Matejka, P; Král, V; Sedenková, I; Trchová, M; Stejskal, J

    2008-08-29

    Repeated depositions of polyaniline (PANI) have been used to control the thickness of the polymeric film deposited on poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane surface. The oxidation of aniline was carried out in a dispersion mode, i.e. in the presence of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). Two kinds of PVC were used for this purpose: a non-plasticized PVC for the study of PANI deposition and PVC, plasticized with nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE), as a prototype of a liquid membrane electrode. The results of UV-visible and FTIR spectroscopies and electron microscopy showed that (1) the film thickness increased by about equal increments of approximately 40 nm after each polymerization, and (2) the interface with PVC was constituted by PANI film and adhering PANI-PVP colloidal particles. The various thicknesses of the deposited PANI films affected the potentiometric response of the NPOE/PVC membrane with and without an anion-exchanger. The potentiometric anionic response was observed with a minimal thickness of PANI film on the blank NPOE/PVC membrane. Sensitivity of the PANI film to pH occurred only with a blank NPOE/PVC membrane coated with a thick polymeric film, while it was strongly suppressed by the presence of a lipophilic anion-exchanger, tridodecylmethylammonium chloride (TDDMACl), in the membrane, regardless of the thickness of the polymer film. The thickness of the PANI film did not affect the anionic selectivity pattern of TDDMACl-based membranes to any great extent, but its presence improved and stabilized their potentiometric characteristics (sensitivity, linear-response range).

  15. Cyanex based uranyl sensitive polymeric membrane electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badr, Ibrahim H A; Zidan, W I; Akl, Z F

    2014-01-01

    Novel uranyl selective polymeric membrane electrodes were prepared using three different low-cost and commercially available Cyanex extractants namely, bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinic acid [L1], bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) monothiophosphinic acid [L2] and bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) dithiophosphinic acid [L3]. Optimization and performance characteristics of the developed Cyanex based polymer membrane electrodes were determined. The influence of membrane composition (e.g., amount and type of ionic sites, as well as type of plasticizer) on potentiometric responses of the prepared membrane electrodes was studied. Optimized Cyanex-based membrane electrodes exhibited Nernstian responses for UO₂(2+) ion over wide concentration ranges with fast response times. The optimized membrane electrodes based on L1, L2 and L3 exhibited Nernstian responses towards uranyl ion with slopes of 29.4, 28.0 and 29.3 mV decade(-1), respectively. The optimized membrane electrodes based on L1-L3 showed detection limits of 8.3 × 10(-5), 3.0 × 10(-5) and 3.3 × 10(-6) mol L(-1), respectively. The selectivity studies showed that the optimized membrane electrodes exhibited high selectivity towards UO₂(2+) ion over large number of other cations. Membrane electrodes based on L3 exhibited superior potentiometric response characteristics compared to those based on L1 and L2 (e.g., widest linear range and lowest detection limit). The analytical utility of uranyl membrane electrodes formulated with Cyanex extractant L3 was demonstrated by the analysis of uranyl ion in different real samples for nuclear safeguards verification purposes. The results obtained using direct potentiometry and flow-injection methods were compared with those measured using the standard UV-visible and inductively coupled plasma spectroscopic methods. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. Influence of nonionic surfactants on the potentiometric response of hydrogen ion-selective polymeric membrane electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espadas-Torre, C; Bakker, E; Barker, S; Meyerhoff, M E

    1996-05-01

    The influence of poly(ethylene oxide)-based nonionic surfactants (i.e., Triton X-100 and Brij 35) in the sample phase on the response properties of hydrogen ion-selective polymeric membrane electrodes containing mobile (lipophilic amines) or covalently bound (aminated-poly-(vinyl chloride)) hydrogen ion carriers is reported. In the presence of these nonionic surfactants, membrane electrode response toward interfering cation activity (e.g., Na+) in the sample phase is increased substantially and the pH measuring range shortened. The degree of cation interference for pH measurements is shown to correlate with the basicity of the hydrogen ion carrier doped within the membrane phase. The observed deterioration in selectivity arises from the partitioning of the surfactant into the membrane and concomitant extraction of metal cations by the surfactants in the organic phase. The effect of nonionic surfactants on pH electrodes prepared with aminated-PVC membranes is shown to be more complex, with additional large shifts in EMF values apparently arising from multidentate interactions between the surfactant molecules and the polymeric amine in the membrane, leading to a change in the apparent pKa values for the amine sites. The effects induced by nonionic surfactants on the EMF response function of hydrogen ion-selective polymeric membrane electrodes are modeled, and experimental results are shown to correlate well with theoretical predictions.

  17. Myoglobin-biomimetic electroactive materials made by surface molecular imprinting on silica beads and their use as ionophores in polymeric membranes for potentiometric transduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreira, Felismina T C; Dutra, Rosa A F; Noronha, Joao P C; Sales, M Goreti F

    2011-08-15

    Myoglobin (Mb) is among the cardiac biomarkers playing a major role in urgent diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Its monitoring in point-of-care is therefore fundamental. Pursuing this goal, a novel biomimetic ionophore for the potentiometric transduction of Mb is presented. It was synthesized by surface molecular imprinting (SMI) with the purpose of developing highly efficient sensor layers for near-stereochemical recognition of Mb. The template (Mb) was imprinted on a silane surface that was covalently attached to silica beads by means of self-assembled monolayers. First the silica was modified with an external layer of aldehyde groups. Then, Mb was attached by reaction with its amine groups (on the external surface) and subsequent formation of imine bonds. The vacant places surrounding Mb were filled by polymerization of the silane monomers 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and propyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS). Finally, the template was removed by imine cleavage after treatment with oxalic acid. The results materials were finely dispersed in plasticized PVC selective membranes and used as ionophores in potentiometric transduction. The best analytical features were found in HEPES buffer of pH 4. Under this condition, the limits of detection were of 1.3 × 10(-6)mol/L for a linear response after 8.0 × 10(-7) mol/L with an anionic slope of -65.9 mV/decade. The imprinting effect was tested by preparing non-imprinted (NI) particles and employing these materials as ionophores. The resulting membranes showed no ability to detect Mb. Good selectivity was observed towards creatinine, sacarose, fructose, galactose, sodium glutamate, and alanine. The analytical application was conducted successfully and showed accurate and precise results. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Chelating polymeric membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Villalobos Vazquez de la Parra, Luis Francisco; Hilke, Roland

    2015-01-01

    microporous chelating polymeric membrane. Embodiments include, but are not limited to, microporous chelating polymeric membranes, device comprising the membranes, and methods of using and making the same.

  19. Chelating polymeric membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

    2015-01-22

    The present application offers a solution to the current problems associated with recovery and recycling of precious metals from scrap material, discard articles, and other items comprising one or more precious metals. The solution is premised on a microporous chelating polymeric membrane. Embodiments include, but are not limited to, microporous chelating polymeric membranes, device comprising the membranes, and methods of using and making the same.

  20. Potentiometric measurement of polymer-membrane electrodes based on lanthanum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saefurohman, Asep, E-mail: saefurohman.asep78@Gmail.com; Buchari,, E-mail: saefurohman.asep78@Gmail.com; Noviandri, Indra, E-mail: saefurohman.asep78@Gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Bandung Institute of Technology (Indonesia); Syoni [Department of Metallurgy Engineering, Bandung Institute of Technology (Indonesia)

    2014-03-24

    Quantitative analysis of rare earth elements which are considered as the standard method that has a high accuracy, and detection limits achieved by the order of ppm is inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICPAES). But these tools are expensive and valuable analysis of the high cost of implementation. In this study be made and characterized selective electrode for the determination of rare earth ions is potentiometric. Membrane manufacturing techniques studied is based on immersion (liquid impregnated membrane) in PTFE 0.5 pore size. As ionophores to be used tri butyl phosphate (TBP) and bis(2-etylhexyl) hydrogen phosphate. There is no report previously that TBP used as ionophore in polymeric membrane based lanthanum. Some parameters that affect the performance of membrane electrode such as membrane composition, membrane thickness, and types of membrane materials studied in this research. Manufacturing of Ion Selective Electrodes (ISE) Lanthanum (La) by means of impregnation La membrane in TBP in kerosene solution has been done and showed performance for ISE-La. FTIR spectrum results for PTFE 0.5 pore size which impregnated in TBP and PTFE blank showed difference of spectra in the top 1257 cm{sup −1}, 1031 cm{sup −1} and 794.7 cm{sup −1} for P=O stretching and stretching POC from group −OP =O. The result showed shift wave number for P =O stretching of the cluster (−OP=O) in PTFE-TBP mixture that is at the peak of 1230 cm{sup −1} indicated that no interaction bond between hydroxyl group of molecules with molecular clusters fosforil of TBP or R{sub 3}P = O. The membrane had stable responses in pH range between 1 and 9. Good responses were obtained using 10{sup −3} M La(III) internal solution, which produced relatively high potential. ISE-La showed relatively good performances. The electrode had a response time of 29±4.5 second and could be use for 50 days. The linear range was between 10{sup −5} and 10{sup −1} M.

  1. Recent advances on polymeric membranes for membrane reactors

    KAUST Repository

    Buonomenna, M. G.

    2012-06-24

    Membrane reactors are generally applied in high temperature reactions (>400 °C). In the field of fine chemical synthesis, however, much milder conditions are generally applicable and polymeric membranes were applied without their damage. The successful use of membranes in membrane reactors is primary the result of two developments concerning: (i) membrane materials and (ii) membrane structures. The selection of a suited material and preparation technique depends on the application the membrane is to be used in. In this chapter a review of up to date literature about polymers and configuration catalyst/ membranes used in some recent polymeric membrane reactors is given. The new emerging concept of polymeric microcapsules as catalytic microreactors has been proposed. © 2012 Bentham Science Publishers. All rights reserved.

  2. Integrated potentiometric detector for use in chip-based flow cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tantra; Manz

    2000-07-01

    A new kind of potentiometric chip sensor for ion-selective electrodes (ISE) based on a solvent polymeric membrane is described. The chip sensor is designed to trap the organic cocktail inside the chip and to permit sample solution to flow past the membrane. The design allows the sensor to overcome technical problems of ruggedness and would therefore be ideal for industrial processes. The sensor performance for a Ba2+-ISE membrane based on a Vogtle ionophore showed electrochemical behavior similar to that observed in conventional electrodes and microelectrode arrangements.

  3. Electrode-analytical properties of polyvinylchloride membranes based on triple metal-polymeric complexes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katerina V. Matorina

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The influence of the nature of the electrode-active substances (EAS, the composition of the external and internal solutions on the formation of the analytical signal of polyvinylchloride (PVC membranes based on associates and triple metal-polymeric complexes (TMPC was established. Dehumidification of synthesized membranes increases with the content of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP. The value of the swelling degree is more than two times greater for membranes, which contain as EAS TMPC, relative to membranes based on associates. The value of water absorption of membranes is determined by the nature of EAS. They formed a series of increasing of the swelling degree such as associate < background membrane < TMPC. Swelling of the background membrane is explained by the physical sorption of water molecules on the surface of plasticized membrane. Hydration of PVP macromolecules varies with the introduction of metal ions, macromolecules unit undergoes a conformational transition. PVP macromolecules form tunnels or cavities where complex particles distributed and additional water accumulated through the second coordination layer. Constructed sensors based on TMPC have slope of electrode function equal to 25 mV/pC. Linear dependence of potential on the polymer concentration is observed in the range of 5–7 pC units. Sensors based on associates have slope of the electrode function of 20–25 mV/pC that can be varied depending on the nature of the EAS. Working range is 4–8 pC. Response time of sensor is less than 1 min. The optimal time for conditioning of the synthesized PVC membrane is 24 hours. Potentiometric sensors have been developed for the determination of residual amounts of low molecular PVP which is a food additive E 1201 commonly used for thickening, stabilizing and clarifying of food products. The content of PVP was determined in real objects (apple juice, beer, red wine and cognac with using the polyvinylpyrrolidone sensors (Sr < 0.08. The

  4. A Ho(III) potentiometric polymeric membrane sensor based on a new four dentate neutral ion carrier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamani, Hassan Ali; Zanganeh-Asadabadi, Abbas; Rohani, Mitra; Zabihi, Mohammad Saleh; Fadaee, Javad; Ganjali, Mohammad Reza; Faridbod, Farnoush; Meghdadi, Soraia

    2013-03-01

    In this research, we report a new Ho(3+)-PVC membrane electrode based on N-(4,5-dimethyl-2-(picolinamido)phenyl)picolinamide (H(2)Me(2)bpb) as a suitable ion carrier. Poly vinylchloride (PVC)-based membrane composed of H(2)Me(2)bpb with oleic acid (OA) as anionic additives, and o-nitrophenyloctyl ether (NPOE) as plasticized solvent mediator. The sensor exhibits a Nernstian slope of 20.1 ± 0.2 mV decade(-1) over the concentration range of 1.0 × 10(-6) to 1.0 × 1(-2) mol L(-1), and a detection limit of 5.0 × 10(-7) mol L(-1) of Ho(3+) ions. The potentiometric response of the sensor is independent of the solution pH in the range of 3.5-9.4. It has a very short response time, in the whole concentration range (titration of Ho(3+) ion solutions in certified reference materials, alloy samples and for the determination of the fluoride ion in two mouthwash preparations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Potentiometric sensing of iodide using polymeric membranes of microwave stabilized β-AgI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    James, Dhanya; Rao, T. Prasada

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Stable β-phase was obtained by post MW irradiation of AgI precipitate. ► Constructed ISEby dispersing stable β-AgI crystals in polyvinyl chloride. ► Designed iodide ISE exhibited wide linear range and fast response. ► Highly selective with selectivity factors less than 10 −6 . ► Successfully applied to natural waters, table salt and human urine samples. - Abstract: A polymer based heterogeneous ion selective electrode (ISE) membrane was fabricated for the potentiometric sensing of iodide. The sensing element used for the preparation of the ISE membrane was microwave stabilized β-AgI. Because microwave energy was found to be beneficial for causing hysteresis at the phase transition temperature of AgI, an attempt has been made to prepare stable and conductive β-AgI crystals by post microwave irradiation under high pressure. A conventionally precipitated AgI based ISE was also fabricated for comparative studies. The β-AgI based ISE could respond to a wide range of iodide concentrations (1 × 10 −8 to 1 M) within 60 s with a detection limit of 10 nM. The ISE gave stable response to iodide ions in a pH range of 2.0–8.0 and was highly selective in the presence of various interfering ions. The performance of the proposed iodide ISE in the analysis of natural and seawater samples was encouraging, and the determination of iodide in table salt and human urine samples was explained using the developed sensor.

  6. Nonperturbative Renormalization Group Approach to Polymerized Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essafi, Karim; Kownacki, Jean-Philippe; Mouhanna, Dominique

    2014-03-01

    Membranes or membrane-like materials play an important role in many fields ranging from biology to physics. These systems form a very rich domain in statistical physics. The interplay between geometry and thermal fluctuations lead to exciting phases such flat, tubular and disordered flat phases. Roughly speaking, membranes can be divided into two group: fluid membranes in which the molecules are free to diffuse and thus no shear modulus. On the other hand, in polymerized membranes the connectivity is fixed which leads to elastic forces. This difference between fluid and polymerized membranes leads to a difference in their critical behaviour. For instance, fluid membranes are always crumpled, whereas polymerized membranes exhibit a phase transition between a crumpled phase and a flat phase. In this talk, I will focus only on polymerized phantom, i.e. non-self-avoiding, membranes. The critical behaviour of both isotropic and anisotropic polymerized membranes are studied using a nonperturbative renormalization group approach (NPRG). This allows for the investigation of the phase transitions and the low temperature flat phase in any internal dimension D and embedding d. Interestingly, graphene behaves just as a polymerized membrane in its flat phase.

  7. Accurate potentiometric determination of lipid membrane-water partition coefficients and apparent dissociation constants of ionizable drugs: electrostatic corrections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elsayed, Mustafa M A; Vierl, Ulrich; Cevc, Gregor

    2009-06-01

    Potentiometric lipid membrane-water partition coefficient studies neglect electrostatic interactions to date; this leads to incorrect results. We herein show how to account properly for such interactions in potentiometric data analysis. We conducted potentiometric titration experiments to determine lipid membrane-water partition coefficients of four illustrative drugs, bupivacaine, diclofenac, ketoprofen and terbinafine. We then analyzed the results conventionally and with an improved analytical approach that considers Coulombic electrostatic interactions. The new analytical approach delivers robust partition coefficient values. In contrast, the conventional data analysis yields apparent partition coefficients of the ionized drug forms that depend on experimental conditions (mainly the lipid-drug ratio and the bulk ionic strength). This is due to changing electrostatic effects originating either from bound drug and/or lipid charges. A membrane comprising 10 mol-% mono-charged molecules in a 150 mM (monovalent) electrolyte solution yields results that differ by a factor of 4 from uncharged membranes results. Allowance for the Coulombic electrostatic interactions is a prerequisite for accurate and reliable determination of lipid membrane-water partition coefficients of ionizable drugs from potentiometric titration data. The same conclusion applies to all analytical methods involving drug binding to a surface.

  8. Polymeric membrane materials for artificial organs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawakami, Hiroyoshi

    2008-01-01

    Many polymeric materials have already been used in the field of artificial organs. However, the materials used in artificial organs are not necessarily created with the best material selectivity and materials design; therefore, the development of synthesized polymeric membrane materials for artificial organs based on well-defined designs is required. The approaches to the development of biocompatible polymeric materials fall into three categories: (1) control of physicochemical characteristics on material surfaces, (2) modification of material surfaces using biomolecules, and (3) construction of biomimetic membrane surfaces. This review will describe current issues regarding polymeric membrane materials for use in artificial organs.

  9. Potentiometric pH-sensor based on electro polymerized poly (ο-phenylenediamine)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Binag, Christina A.; Tongol, Bernard John V.

    1998-01-01

    A novel potentiometric pH-sensor device was fabricated using galvanostatic electrochemical polymerization of poly (ο-phenylenediamine) (PoPD) onto a Pt wire from a suitable buffer solution containing the doubly crystallized ο-phenylenediamine and the dopant bovine serum albumin (BSA). Electrochemical polymerization parameters of the sensor were optimized against Ag/AgCl electrode using electrode using buffer solutions of pH 3 to 10. The polymer-coated pH-sensor exhibited a high sensitivity with nearly Nermstian response and a slope of -47.5 mV/pH, a good linearity (r=-0.991), a reasonable response time (8 min. at pH 3-10), a favorable repeatability at three (3) replicate measurements (RSD=6% at pH 3-8), and a very high reproductibility (RSD <3%) at 11 replicate and alternate measurements of pH3 and 10 for a period of <2 h. This yellow-brown PoPD polymer coated Pt wire is a promising pH transducer for the analysis of pH changes in biological reactions acting as biosensor. (Author)

  10. Tetra(p-tolyl)borate-functionalized solvent polymeric membrane: a facile and sensitive sensing platform for peroxidase and peroxidase mimetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xuewei; Qin, Wei

    2013-07-22

    The determination of peroxidase activities is the basis for enzyme-labeled bioaffinity assays, peroxidase-mimicking DNAzymes- and nanoparticles-based assays, and characterization of the catalytic functions of peroxidase mimetics. Here, a facile, sensitive, and cost-effective solvent polymeric membrane-based peroxidase detection platform is described that utilizes reaction intermediates with different pKa values from those of substrates and final products. Several key but long-debated intermediates in the peroxidative oxidation of o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) have been identified and their charge states have been estimated. By using a solvent polymeric membrane functionalized by an appropriate substituted tetraphenylborate as a receptor, those cationic intermediates could be transferred into the membrane from the aqueous phase to induce a large cationic potential response. Thus, the potentiometric indication of the o-PD oxidation catalyzed by peroxidase or its mimetics can be fulfilled. Horseradish peroxidase has been detected with a detection limit at least two orders of magnitude lower than those obtained by spectrophotometric techniques and traditional membrane-based methods. As an example of peroxidase mimetics, G-quadruplex DNAzymes were probed by the intermediate-sensitive membrane and a label-free thrombin detection protocol was developed based on the catalytic activity of the thrombin-binding G-quadruplex aptamer. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Schiff bases as cadmium(II) selective ionophores in polymeric membrane electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, V.K.; Singh, A.K.; Gupta, Barkha

    2007-01-01

    The construction and performance characteristics of polymeric membrane electrodes based on two neutral ionophores, N,N'-[bis(pyridin-2-yl)formylidene]butane-1,4-diamine (S 1 ) and N-(2-pyridinylmethylene)-1,2-benzenediamine (S 2 ) for quantification of cadmium ions, are described. The influences of membrane compositions on the potentiometric response of the electrodes have been found to substantially improve the performance characteristics. The best performance was obtained with the electrode having a membrane composition (w/w) of (S 1 ) (2.15%):PVC (32.2%):o-NPOE (64.5%):KTpClPB (1.07%). The proposed electrode exhibits Nernstian response in the concentration range of 7.9 x 10 -8 to 1.0 x 10 -1 M Cd 2+ with limit of detection 5.0 x 10 -8 M, performs satisfactorily over wide pH range (2.0-8.0) with a fast response time (10 s). The sensor has been found to work satisfactorily in partially non-aqueous media up to 30% (v/v) content of methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile and could be used for a period of 2 months. The analytical usefulness of the proposed electrode has been evaluated by its application in the determination of cadmium in real samples. The practical utility of the membrane electrode has also been observed in the presence of surfactants

  12. Schiff bases as cadmium(II) selective ionophores in polymeric membrane electrodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gupta, V.K. [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India)]. E-mail: vinodfcy@iitr.ernet.in; Singh, A.K. [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India); Gupta, Barkha [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India)

    2007-02-05

    The construction and performance characteristics of polymeric membrane electrodes based on two neutral ionophores, N,N'-[bis(pyridin-2-yl)formylidene]butane-1,4-diamine (S{sub 1}) and N-(2-pyridinylmethylene)-1,2-benzenediamine (S{sub 2}) for quantification of cadmium ions, are described. The influences of membrane compositions on the potentiometric response of the electrodes have been found to substantially improve the performance characteristics. The best performance was obtained with the electrode having a membrane composition (w/w) of (S{sub 1}) (2.15%):PVC (32.2%):o-NPOE (64.5%):KTpClPB (1.07%). The proposed electrode exhibits Nernstian response in the concentration range of 7.9 x 10{sup -8} to 1.0 x 10{sup -1} M Cd{sup 2+} with limit of detection 5.0 x 10{sup -8} M, performs satisfactorily over wide pH range (2.0-8.0) with a fast response time (10 s). The sensor has been found to work satisfactorily in partially non-aqueous media up to 30% (v/v) content of methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile and could be used for a period of 2 months. The analytical usefulness of the proposed electrode has been evaluated by its application in the determination of cadmium in real samples. The practical utility of the membrane electrode has also been observed in the presence of surfactants.

  13. Potentiometric titration curves of aluminium salt solutions and its species conversion in the hydrolysis-polymerization course

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chenyi Wang

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available A new concept of critical point is expounded by analysing the potentiometric titration curves of aluminium salt solutions under the moderate slow rate of base injection. The critical point is defined as the characteristic spot of the Al3+ salt solutions potentiometric titration curve, which is related to the experiment conditions. In addition, the changes of critical points reflect the influence of experiment conditions on the course of the hydrolysis-polymerization and the conversion of hydroxyl polynuclear aluminum species. According to the OH/Al mole ratio, the Al species can be divided into four regions quantitatively by three characteristic points on the titration curves: Part I, Al3+/Ala region, consist chiefly of Al3+ and mononuclear Al; Part II, the small/middle polynuclear Al region, including Al2-Al12; Part III, the large-size polynuclear aluminum region, consistent with predominantly Al13-Al54 and a little sol/gel Al(OH3; Part IV, the dissolving region of sol/gel Alc, only Al(OH 3 (aq or am and Al(OH4- species, which set up a base to study on the hydrolysis-polymerization of Al3+. At the same time, significant effects of total aluminum concentration, temperature, halide ion, silicate radical, and organic acid radical on the titration curves and its critical points were observed. Given the three critical points which demarcating the aluminum forms, we carry out a through investigation into the fundamental regulations of these factors’ influence, and offer a fresh train of thought to study the hydrolysis-polymerization of Al3+ in soil solutions.

  14. Modern Directions for Potentiometric Sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakker, Eric; Chumbimuni-Torres, Karin

    2009-01-01

    This paper gives an overview of the newest developments of polymeric membrane ion-selective electrodes. A short essence of the underlying theory is given, emphasizing how the electromotive force may be used to assess binding constants of the ionophore, and how the selectivity and detection limit are related to the underlying membrane processes. The recent developments in lowering the detection limits of ISEs are described, including recent approaches of developing all solid state ISEs, and breakthroughs in detecting ultra-small quantities of ions at low concentrations. These developments have paved the way to use potentiometric sensors as in ultra-sensitive affinity bioanalysis in conjunction with nanoparticle labels. Recent results establish that potentiometry compares favorably to electrochemical stripping analysis. Other new developments with ion-selective electrodes are also described, including the concept of backside calibration potentiometry, controlled current coulometry, pulsed chronopotentiometry, and localized flash titration with ion-selective membranes to design sensors for the direct detection of total acidity without net sample perturbation. These developments have further opened the field for exciting new possibilities and applications. PMID:19890473

  15. Dysprosium selective potentiometric membrane sensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zamani, Hassan Ali, E-mail: haszamani@yahoo.com [Department of Applied Chemistry, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Faridbod, Farnoush; Ganjali, Mohammad Reza [Center of Excellence in Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2013-03-01

    A novel Dy(III) ion-selective PVC membrane sensor was made using a new synthesized organic compound, 3,4-diamino-N Prime -((pyridin-2-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide (L) as an excellent sensing element. The electrode showed a Nernstian slope of 19.8 {+-} 0.6 mV per decade in a wide concentration range of 1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -6}-1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -2} mol L{sup -1}, a detection limit of 5.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} mol L{sup -1}, a short conditioning time, a fast response time (< 10 s), and high selectivity towards Dy(III) ion in contrast to other cations. The proposed sensor was successfully used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Dy(III) ions with EDTA. The membrane sensor was also applied to the F{sup -} ion indirect determination of some mouth washing solutions and to the Dy{sup 3+} determination in binary mixtures. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The novelty of this work is based on the high affinity of the ionophore toward the Dy{sup 3+} ions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This technique is very simple, fast and inexpensive and it is not necessary to use sophisticated equipment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The newly developed sensor is superior to the formerly reported Dy{sup 3+} sensors in terms of selectivity.

  16. Biomimetic polymeric membranes for water treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Habel, Joachim Erich Otto

    This project is about the interplay of the three major components of aquaporin based biomimetic polymeric membranes (ABPMs): Aquaporins (AQPs), amphiphilic block copolymers, serving as a vesicular matrix for the hydrophobic AQP exterior (proteopolymersomes) and a polymeric membrane as embedment....... The interplay of proteopolymersomes and polymeric mesh support (in this case polyethersulfone, PES) was examined via integration of proteopolymersomes in an active layer (AL) formed by interfacial polymerisation between a linker molecule in aqueous phase and another in organic phase on top of the PES....... The resulting thin-film composite (TFC) membrane was analyzed via cross-flow forward osmosis (FO), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as in the non-supported form over FTIR and a specialized microfluidic visualization approach. Where no clear dierences...

  17. Inflation and Failure of Polymeric Membranes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hassager, Ole; Neergaard, Jesper

    2000-01-01

    We consider the inflation of an axisymmetric polymeric membrane.Some membranes composed of viscoelastic materialsdescribed by a Mooney-Rivlin model show a monotone increasingpressure during inflation. These materialsdevelop a homogeneous membrane thickness in agreement with the Considere...... is found to stabilize the inflated polymer membrane....

  18. Potentiometric sensing of nuclease activities and oxidative damage of single-stranded DNA using a polycation-sensitive membrane electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Jiawang; Qin, Wei

    2013-09-15

    A simple, general and label-free potentiometric method to measure nuclease activities and oxidative DNA damage in a homogeneous solution using a polycation-sensitive membrane electrode is reported. Protamine, a linear polyionic species, is used as an indicator to report the cleavage of DNA by nucleases such as restriction and nonspecific nucleases, and the damage of DNA induced by hydroxyl radicals. Measurements can be done with a titration mode or a direct detection mode. For the potentiometric titration mode, the enzymatic cleavage dramatically affects the electrostatical interaction between DNA and protamine and thus shifts the response curve for the potentiometric titration of the DNA with protamine. Under the optimized conditions, the enzyme activities can be sensed potentiometrically with detection limits of 2.7×10(-4)U/µL for S1 nuclease, and of 3.9×10(-4)U/µL for DNase I. For the direct detection mode, a biocomplex between protamine and DNA is used as a substrate. The nuclease of interest cleaves the DNA from the protamine/DNA complex into smaller fragments, so that free protamine is generated and can be detected potentiometrically via the polycation-sensitive membrane electrode. Using a direct measurement, the nuclease activities could be rapidly detected with detection limits of 3.2×10(-4)U/µL for S1 nuclease, and of 4.5×10(-4)U/µL for DNase I. Moreover, the proposed potentiometric assays demonstrate the potential applications in the detection of hydroxyl radicals. It is anticipated that the present potentiometric strategy will provide a promising platform for high-throughput screening of nucleases, reactive oxygen species and the drugs with potential inhibition abilities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Inflation and Instability of a Polymeric Membrane

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hassager, Ole; Kristensen, Susanne Brogaard; Larsen, Johannes Ruben

    1999-01-01

    We consider an axisymmetric polymeric membrane inflated by a uniform pressure difference acting across the membrane. The polymeric material is described by an arbitrary combination of a viscoelastic and a purely viscous component to the stress. Some viscoelastic materials described by a Mooney......-Rivlin model show a monotone increasing pressure during inflation of a spherical membrane. These materials develop a homogeneous membrane thickness in agreement with the Considere-Pearson condition. Molecularly based models such as the neo-Hookean, Doi-Edwards or Tom-Pom model show a pressure maximum when...... inflated. Membranes described by these models develop a local thinning of the membrane which may lead to bursting in finite time. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved....

  20. Inflation and Instability of a Polymeric Membrane

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Neergaard, Jesper; Hassager, Ole

    1999-01-01

    We consider an axisymmetric polymeric membrane inflated by a uniform pressure difference acting across the membrane. The polymeric materialis described by an arbitrary combination of a viscoelastic and a purely viscous component to the stress. Some viscoelastic materials described by a Mooney......-Rivlin model show a monotone increasingpressure during inflation of a spherical membrane. These materials develop a homogeneous membrane thickness in agreement with the Considere-Pearson condition. Molecularly based models such as the neo-Hookean, Doi-Edwards or Tom-Pom model show a pressure maximum when...... inflated. Membranesdescribed by these models develop a local thinning of the membrane which may lead to bursting in finite time....

  1. Stuides on a Pb2+-selective electrode with a macrocyclic liquid membrane. Potentiometric determination of Pb2+ ions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARIAN ISVORANU

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents experimental and theoretical data regarding the design, characterization and analytical applications of a non-expensive, liquid-membrane ion-selective electrode for Pb2+ ions. The membrane is a solution of the active complex formed by Pb2+ ions with dibenzo-18-crown-6-ionophore (DB-[18]-C-6 extracted in propylene carbonate (PC. The sucessful application of the developed electrode for the determination of Pb2+ ions in aqueos solution samples by direct potentiometry and potentiometric titration is presented. For the presented analytical results, there are insignificant systematic errors between the direct potentiometric method with the developed ion-selective electrode and atomic absorption spectrometry.

  2. Plasma-polymerized alkaline anion-exchange membrane: Synthesis and structure characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Jue; Meng Yuedong; Zhang Chengxu; Fang Shidong

    2011-01-01

    After-glow discharge plasma polymerization was developed for alkaline anion-exchange membranes synthesis using vinylbenzyl chloride as monomer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the chemical structure properties of plasma-polymerized membranes. Ion-exchange capacities of quaternized poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) (QPVBC) membranes were measured to evaluate their capability of hydroxyl ion transport. A mechanism of plasma polymerization using VBC as monomer that accounts for the competitive effects of free radicals polymerization and plasma ablation in the plasma polymerization process was proposed. Our results indicate that plasma discharge power influences the contents of functional groups and the structure of the plasma polymer membranes, which attribute to the coactions of polymerization and ablation. The properties of uniform morphology, good adhesion to the substrate, high thermal stability and satisfying anion conduction level suggest the potential application of QPVBC membrane deposited at discharge power of 20 W in alkaline direct methanol fuel cells.

  3. Polymeric membrane studied using slow positron beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hung, W.-S.; Lo, C.-H.; Cheng, M.-L.; Chen Hongmin; Liu Guang; Chakka, Lakshmi; Nanda, D.; Tung, K.-L.; Huang, S.-H.; Lee, Kueir-Rarn; Lai, J.-Y.; Sun Yiming; Yu Changcheng; Zhang Renwu; Jean, Y.C.

    2008-01-01

    A radioisotope slow positron beam has been built at the Chung Yuan Christian University in Taiwan for the research and development in membrane science and technology. Doppler broadening energy spectra and positron annihilation lifetime have been measured as a function of positron energy up to 30 keV in a polyamide membrane prepared by the interfacial polymerization between triethylenetetraamine (TETA) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) on modified porous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) asymmetric membrane. The multilayer structures and free-volume depth profile for this asymmetric membrane system are obtained. Positron annihilation spectroscopy coupled with a slow beam could provide new information about size selectivity of transporting molecules and guidance for molecular designs in polymeric membranes

  4. Polymeric Gas-Separation Membranes for Petroleum Refining

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yousef Alqaheem

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Polymeric gas-separation membranes were commercialized 30 years ago. The interest on these systems is increasing because of the simplicity of concept and low-energy consumption. In the refinery, gas separation is needed in many processes such as natural gas treatment, carbon dioxide capture, hydrogen purification, and hydrocarbons separations. In these processes, the membranes have proven to be a potential candidate to replace the current conventional methods of amine scrubbing, pressure swing adsorption, and cryogenic distillation. In this paper, applications of polymeric membranes in the refinery are discussed by reviewing current materials and commercialized units. Economical evaluation of these membranes in comparison to traditional processes is also indicated.

  5. Determination of cerium ion by polymeric membrane and coated graphite electrode based on novel pendant armed macrocycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Ashok K; Singh, Prerna

    2010-08-24

    Plasticized membranes using 2,3,4:12,13,14-dipyridine-1,3,5,8,11,13,15,18-octaazacycloicosa-2,12-diene (L(1)) and 2,3,4:12,13,14-dipyridine-1,5,8,11,15,18-hexamethylacrylate-1,3,5,8,11,13,15,18-octaazacycloicosa-2,12-diene (L(2)) have been prepared and explored as Ce(III) selective sensors. Effect of various plasticizers viz. dibutylphthalate (DBP), tri-n-butylphthalate (TBP), o-nitrophenyloctylether (o-NPOE), dioctylphthalate (DOP), benzylacetate (BA) and anion excluders, sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) and potassium tetrakis p-(chlorophenyl) borate was studied in detail and improved performance was observed. Optimum performance was observed for the membrane sensor having a composition of L(2):PVC:o-NPOE:KTpClPB in the ratio of 6:34:58:2 (w/w, mg). The performance of the membrane based on L(2) was compared with polymeric membrane electrode (PME) as well as with coated graphite electrode (CGE). The electrodes exhibit Nernstian slope for Ce(III) ions with limits of detection of 8.3x10(-8) mol L(-1) for PME and 7.7x10(-9) mol L(-1) for CGE. The response time for PME and CGE was found to be 12 s and 10 s respectively. The potentiometric responses are independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 3.5-7.5 for PME and 2.5-8.5 for CGE. The CGE could be used for a period of 5 months. The practical utility of the CGE has been demonstrated by its usage as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of oxalate and fluoride ions with Ce(III) solution. The proposed electrode was also successfully applied to the determination of fluoride ions in mouthwash solution and oxalate ions in real samples. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Determination of cerium ion by polymeric membrane and coated graphite electrode based on novel pendant armed macrocycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, Ashok K., E-mail: akscyfcy@iitr.ernet.in [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India); Singh, Prerna [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India)

    2010-08-24

    Plasticized membranes using 2,3,4:12,13,14-dipyridine-1,3,5,8,11,13,15,18-octaazacycloicosa-2,12-diene (L{sub 1}) and 2,3,4:12,13,14-dipyridine-1,5,8,11,15,18-hexamethylacrylate- 1,3,5,8,11,13,15,18-octaazacycloicosa-2,12-diene (L{sub 2}) have been prepared and explored as Ce(III) selective sensors. Effect of various plasticizers viz. dibutylphthalate (DBP), tri-n-butylphthalate (TBP), o-nitrophenyloctylether (o-NPOE), dioctylphthalate (DOP), benzylacetate (BA) and anion excluders, sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) and potassium tetrakis p-(chlorophenyl) borate was studied in detail and improved performance was observed. Optimum performance was observed for the membrane sensor having a composition of L{sub 2}:PVC:o-NPOE:KTpClPB in the ratio of 6:34:58:2 (w/w, mg). The performance of the membrane based on L{sub 2} was compared with polymeric membrane electrode (PME) as well as with coated graphite electrode (CGE). The electrodes exhibit Nernstian slope for Ce(III) ions with limits of detection of 8.3 x 10{sup -8} mol L{sup -1} for PME and 7.7 x 10{sup -9} mol L{sup -1} for CGE. The response time for PME and CGE was found to be 12 s and 10 s respectively. The potentiometric responses are independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 3.5-7.5 for PME and 2.5-8.5 for CGE. The CGE could be used for a period of 5 months. The practical utility of the CGE has been demonstrated by its usage as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of oxalate and fluoride ions with Ce(III) solution. The proposed electrode was also successfully applied to the determination of fluoride ions in mouthwash solution and oxalate ions in real samples.

  7. Determination of cerium ion by polymeric membrane and coated graphite electrode based on novel pendant armed macrocycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Ashok K.; Singh, Prerna

    2010-01-01

    Plasticized membranes using 2,3,4:12,13,14-dipyridine-1,3,5,8,11,13,15,18-octaazacycloicosa-2,12-diene (L 1 ) and 2,3,4:12,13,14-dipyridine-1,5,8,11,15,18-hexamethylacrylate- 1,3,5,8,11,13,15,18-octaazacycloicosa-2,12-diene (L 2 ) have been prepared and explored as Ce(III) selective sensors. Effect of various plasticizers viz. dibutylphthalate (DBP), tri-n-butylphthalate (TBP), o-nitrophenyloctylether (o-NPOE), dioctylphthalate (DOP), benzylacetate (BA) and anion excluders, sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) and potassium tetrakis p-(chlorophenyl) borate was studied in detail and improved performance was observed. Optimum performance was observed for the membrane sensor having a composition of L 2 :PVC:o-NPOE:KTpClPB in the ratio of 6:34:58:2 (w/w, mg). The performance of the membrane based on L 2 was compared with polymeric membrane electrode (PME) as well as with coated graphite electrode (CGE). The electrodes exhibit Nernstian slope for Ce(III) ions with limits of detection of 8.3 x 10 -8 mol L -1 for PME and 7.7 x 10 -9 mol L -1 for CGE. The response time for PME and CGE was found to be 12 s and 10 s respectively. The potentiometric responses are independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 3.5-7.5 for PME and 2.5-8.5 for CGE. The CGE could be used for a period of 5 months. The practical utility of the CGE has been demonstrated by its usage as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of oxalate and fluoride ions with Ce(III) solution. The proposed electrode was also successfully applied to the determination of fluoride ions in mouthwash solution and oxalate ions in real samples.

  8. Platinum porphyrins as ionophores in polymeric membrane electrodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lvova, Larisa; Verrelli, Giorgio; Nardis, Sara

    2011-01-01

    A comparative study of Pt(II)- and Pt(IV)-porphyrins as novel ionophores for anion-selective polymeric membrane electrodes is performed. Polymeric membranes of different compositions, prepared by varying plasticizers, cationic and anionic additives and Pt porphyrins, have been examined...... within the electrode membranes, while those based on Pt(IV)TPPCl2 operate via a mixed mode carrier mechanism, evidencing also a partial reduction of the starting ionophore to Pt(II)TPP. Spectrophotometric measurements of thin polymeric films indicate that no spontaneous formation of hydroxide ion bridged...... porphyrin dimers occurs in the membrane plasticized both with high or low dielectric constant plasticizer, due to a low oxophilicity of central Pt. The computational study of various anion–Pt(IV)TPPCl2 complex formation by means of semi-empirical and density functional theory (DFT) methods revealed a good...

  9. Composite plasma polymerized sulfonated polystyrene membrane for PEMFC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nath, Bhabesh Kumar; Khan, Aziz; Chutia, Joyanti, E-mail: jchutiaiasst@gmail.com

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • Methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) is used as the sulfonating agent. • The proton conductivity of the membrane is found to be 0.141 S cm{sup −1}. • Power density of fuel cell with styrene/MMS membrane is 0.5 W cm{sup −2}. • The membrane exhibits thermal stability up to 140 °C. - Abstract: This work presents the introduction of an organic compound methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) for the first time in fabrication of polystyrene based proton exchange membrane (PEM) by plasma polymerization process. The membrane is fabricated by co-polymerizing styrene and MMS in capacitively coupled continuous RF plasma. The chemical composition of the plasma polymerized polymer membrane is investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy which reveals the formation of composite structure of styrene and MMS. The surface morphology studied using AFM and SEM depicts the effect of higher partial pressure of MMS on surface topography of the membrane. The proton transport property of the membrane studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows the achievement of maximum proton conductivity of 0.141 S cm{sup −1} which is comparable to Nafion 117 membrane. Fuel cell performance test of the synthesized membrane shows a maximum power density of 500 mW cm{sup −2} and current density of 0.62 A cm{sup −2} at 0.6 V.

  10. Porous polymeric membranes with thermal and solvent resistance

    KAUST Repository

    Pulido, Bruno

    2017-05-30

    Polymeric membranes are highly advantageous over their ceramic counterparts in terms of the simplicity of the manufacturing process, cost and scalability. Their main disadvantages are low stability at temperatures above 200 °C, and in organic solvents. We report for the first time porous polymeric membranes manufactured from poly(oxindolebiphenylylene) (POXI), a polymer with thermal stability as high as 500 °C in oxidative conditions. The membranes were prepared by solution casting and phase inversion by immersion in water. The asymmetric porous morphology was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy. The pristine membranes are stable in alcohols, acetone, acetonitrile and hexane, as well as in aqueous solutions with pH between 0 and 14. The membrane stability was extended for application in other organic solvents by crosslinking, using various dibromides, and the efficiency of the different crosslinkers was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). POXI crosslinked membranes are stable up to 329 °C in oxidative conditions and showed organic solvent resistance in polar aprotic solvents with 99% rejection of Red Direct 80 in DMF at 70 °C. With this development, the application of polymeric membranes could be extended to high temperature and harsh environments, fields currently dominated by ceramic membranes.

  11. Metal nanoparticles/ionic liquid/cellulose: polymeric membrane for hydrogenation reactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Alexandre Gelesky

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Rhodium and platinum nanoparticles were supported in polymeric membranes with 10, 20 and 40 µm thickness. The polymeric membranes were prepared combining cellulose acetate and the ionic liquid (IL 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonylimide (BMI.(NTf2. The presence of metal nanoparticles induced an increase in the polymeric membrane surface areas. The increase of the IL content resulted in an improvement of elasticity and decrease in tenacity and toughness, whereas the stress at break was not affected. The presence of IL probably causes an increase in the separation between the cellulose molecules that result in a higher flexibility and processability of the polymeric membrane. The CA/IL/M(0 combinations exhibit an excellent synergistic effect that enhances the activity and durability of the catalyst for the hydrogenation of cyclohexene. The CA/IL/M(0 polymeric membrane displays higher catalytic activity (up to 7.353 h-1 for the 20 mm of CA/IL/Pt(0 and stability than the nanoparticles dispersed only in the IL.

  12. Functionalized nanoparticle interactions with polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ladner, D A; Steele, M; Weir, A; Hristovski, K; Westerhoff, P

    2012-04-15

    A series of experiments was performed to measure the retention of a class of functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) on porous (microfiltration and ultrafiltration) membranes. The findings impact engineered water and wastewater treatment using membrane technology, characterization and analytical schemes for NP detection, and the use of NPs in waste treatment scenarios. The NPs studied were composed of silver, titanium dioxide, and gold; had organic coatings to yield either positive or negative surface charge; and were between 2 and 10nm in diameter. NP solutions were applied to polymeric membranes composed of different materials and pore sizes (ranging from ≈ 2 nm [3 kDa molecular weight cutoff] to 0.2 μm). Greater than 99% rejection was observed of positively charged NPs by negatively charged membranes even though pore diameters were up to 20 times the NP diameter; thus, sorption caused rejection. Negatively charged NPs were less well rejected, but behavior was dependent not only on surface functionality but on NP core material (Ag, TiO(2), or Au). NP rejection depended more upon NP properties than membrane properties; all of the negatively charged polymeric membranes behaved similarly. The NP-membrane interaction behavior fell into four categories, which are defined and described here. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Polymeric molecular sieve membranes via in situ cross-linking of non-porous polymer membrane templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Zhen-An; Chai, Song-Hai; Nelson, Kimberly; Bi, Zhonghe; Chen, Jihua; Mahurin, Shannon M; Zhu, Xiang; Dai, Sheng

    2014-04-16

    High-performance polymeric membranes for gas separation are attractive for molecular-level separations in industrial-scale chemical, energy and environmental processes. Molecular sieving materials are widely regarded as the next-generation membranes to simultaneously achieve high permeability and selectivity. However, most polymeric molecular sieve membranes are based on a few solution-processable polymers such as polymers of intrinsic microporosity. Here we report an in situ cross-linking strategy for the preparation of polymeric molecular sieve membranes with hierarchical and tailorable porosity. These membranes demonstrate exceptional performance as molecular sieves with high gas permeabilities and selectivities for smaller gas molecules, such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, over larger molecules such as nitrogen. Hence, these membranes have potential for large-scale gas separations of commercial and environmental relevance. Moreover, this strategy could provide a possible alternative to 'classical' methods for the preparation of porous membranes and, in some cases, the only viable synthetic route towards certain membranes.

  14. Potentiometric Determination of Ketotifen Fumarate in Pharmaceutical Preparations and Urine Using Carbon Paste and PVC Membrane Selective Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eman Y. Z. Frag

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This study compares between unmodified carbon paste (CPE; the paste has no ion pair and polyvinyl chloride (PVC membrane selective electrodes that were used in potentiometric determination of ketotifen fumarate (KTF, where sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB was used as titrant. The performance characteristics of these sensors were evaluated according to IUPAC recommendations which reveal a fast, stable, and linear response for KTF over the concentration range of 10−7 to 10−2 mol L−1. The electrodes show Nernstian slope value of 52.51±0.20 and 51.51±0.25 mV decade−1 for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes at 30∘C, respectively. The potential is nearly stable over the pH range 3.0–6.0 and 2.0–7.0 for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively. Selectivity coefficient values towards different inorganic cations, sugars, and amino acids reflect high selectivity of the prepared electrodes. The electrodes responses at different temperatures were also studied, and long operational lifetime of 12 and 5 weeks for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively, were found. These are used for determination of ketotifen fumarate using potentiometric titration, calibration, and standard addition methods in pure samples, its pharmaceutical preparations (Zaditen tablets, and biological fluid (urine. The direct potentiometric determination of KTF using the proposed sensors gave recoveries % of 98.97±0.53 and 98.62±0.74 with RSD 1.42 and 0.63% for CPE and PVC membrane selective electrodes, respectively. Validation of the method shows suitability of the proposed sensors for use in quality control assessment of KTF. The obtained results were in a good agreement with those obtained using the reported spectrophotometric method.

  15. Potentiometric determination of ketotifen fumarate in pharmaceutical preparations and urine using carbon paste and PVC membrane selective electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frag, Eman Y Z; Mohamed, Gehad G; Khalil, Mohamed M; Hwehy, Mohammad M A

    2011-01-01

    This study compares between unmodified carbon paste (CPE; the paste has no ion pair) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane selective electrodes that were used in potentiometric determination of ketotifen fumarate (KTF), where sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) was used as titrant. The performance characteristics of these sensors were evaluated according to IUPAC recommendations which reveal a fast, stable, and linear response for KTF over the concentration range of 10(-7) to 10(-2) mol L(-1). The electrodes show Nernstian slope value of 52.51 ± 0.20 and 51.51 ± 0.25 mV decade(-1) for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes at 30°C, respectively. The potential is nearly stable over the pH range 3.0-6.0 and 2.0-7.0 for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively. Selectivity coefficient values towards different inorganic cations, sugars, and amino acids reflect high selectivity of the prepared electrodes. The electrodes responses at different temperatures were also studied, and long operational lifetime of 12 and 5 weeks for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively, were found. These are used for determination of ketotifen fumarate using potentiometric titration, calibration, and standard addition methods in pure samples, its pharmaceutical preparations (Zaditen tablets), and biological fluid (urine). The direct potentiometric determination of KTF using the proposed sensors gave recoveries % of 98.97 ± 0.53 and 98.62 ± 0.74 with RSD 1.42 and 0.63% for CPE and PVC membrane selective electrodes, respectively. Validation of the method shows suitability of the proposed sensors for use in quality control assessment of KTF. The obtained results were in a good agreement with those obtained using the reported spectrophotometric method.

  16. Concentration-related response potentiometric titrations to study the interaction of small molecules with large biomolecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamidi-Asl, Ezat; Daems, Devin; De Wael, Karolien; Van Camp, Guy; Nagels, Luc J

    2014-12-16

    In the present paper, the utility of a special potentiometric titration approach for recognition and calculation of biomolecule/small-molecule interactions is reported. This approach is fast, sensitive, reproducible, and inexpensive in comparison to the other methods for the determination of the association constant values (Ka) and the interaction energies (ΔG). The potentiometric titration measurement is based on the use of a classical polymeric membrane indicator electrode in a solution of the small-molecule ligand. The biomolecule is used as a titrant. The potential is measured versus a reference electrode and transformed into a concentration-related signal over the entire concentration interval, also at low concentrations, where the millivolt (y-axis) versus log canalyte (x-axis) potentiometric calibration curve is not linear. In the procedure, Ka is calculated for the interaction of cocaine with a cocaine binding aptamer and with an anticocaine antibody. To study the selectivity and cross-reactivity, other oligonucleotides and aptamers are tested, as well as other small ligand molecules such as tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)borate, metergoline, lidocaine, and bromhexine. The calculated Ka compared favorably to the value reported in the literature using surface plasmon resonance. The potentiometric titration approach called "concentration-related response potentiometry" is used to study molecular interaction for seven macromolecular target molecules and four small-molecule ligands.

  17. Liquid membrane ion-selective electrodes for potentiometric dosage of coper and nickel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARIA PLENICEANY

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents experimental and theoretical data regarding the preparation and characterization of three liquid-membrane electrodes, which have not been mentioned in the specialized literature so far. The active substances, the solutions of which in nitrobenzene formed the membranes on a graphite rod, are simple complex combinations of Cu(II and Ni(II ions with an organic ligand belonging to the Schiff base class: N-[2-thienylmethilidene]-2-aminoethanol (TNAHE. The Cu2+ -selective and Ni2+ -selective electrodes were used to determine the copper and nickel ions in aqueous solutions, both by direct potentiometry and by potentiometric titration with EDTA. They were also used for the determination of Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions in industrial waters by direct potentiometry.

  18. Potentiometric Membrane Sensors for Levamisole Determination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia Zubenya

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The ion pair (IP of levamisole with BiI4-(SbI4- for the levamisole-selective sensor with a PVC membrane containing - ions were developed. Thermal behavior of obtained IP was investigated by differential thermal analysis that would show the thermal stability and the character of the decomposition of the complex. The thermolysis of Lev+BiI4- IP undergoes three stages that fit a theoretical interpretation. the linearity ranges of levamisole sensors function are 7.9 ×10-6 – 1×10-1 (7.9 ×10-5 – 1×10-1 M. The Nernstian slope of                   50.6 – 53.4 mV pC−1 and detection limit of 5.0 × 10−5 – 1.5 × 10−4 M. The working range of pH is 2.8 – 6.0.     The efficiency of the use of electrodes for levamisole content control in pharmaceutical preparations was shown by direct potentiometry and potentiometric titration methods.

  19. Microcalorimetric and potentiometric titration studies on the adsorption of copper by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), minerals and their composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Linchuan; Huang, Qiaoyun; Wei, Xing; Liang, Wei; Rong, Xinming; Chen, Wenli; Cai, Peng

    2010-08-01

    Equilibrium adsorption experiments, isothermal titration calorimetry and potentiometric titration techniques were employed to investigate the adsorption of Cu(II) by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from Pseudomonas putida X4, minerals (montmorillonite and goethite) and their composites. Compared with predicted values of Cu(II) adsorption on composites, the measured values of Cu(II) on EPS-montmorillonite composite increased, however, those on EPS-goethite composite decreased. Potentiometric titration results also showed that more surface sites were observed on EPS-montmorillonite composite and less reactive sites were found on EPS-goethite composite. The adsorption of Cu(II) on EPS molecules and their composites with minerals was an endothermic reaction, while that on minerals was exothermic. The positive values of enthalpy change (Delta H) and entropy change (DeltaS) for Cu(II) adsorption on EPS and mineral-EPS composites indicated that Cu(II) mainly interacts with carboxyl and phosphoryl groups as inner-sphere complexes on EPS molecules and their composites with minerals. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Differential natural organic matter fouling of ceramic versus polymeric ultrafiltration membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seung-Jin; Kim, Jae-Hong

    2014-01-01

    Ceramic ultrafiltration membranes has drawn increasing attention in drinking water treatment sectors as an alternative to traditional polymeric counterparts, yet only limited information has been made available about the characteristics of ceramic membrane fouling by natural organic matter. The effects of solution chemistry including ionic strength, divalent ion concentration and pH on the flux behavior were comparatively evaluated for ceramic and polymeric ultrafiltration of synthetic water containing model natural organic matter. Filtration characteristics were further probed via resistance-in-series model analysis, fouling visualization using quantum dots, batch adsorption test, contact angle measurement, solute-membrane surface adhesion force measurement, and quantitative comparison of fouling characteristics between ceramic and polymeric membranes. The results collectively suggested that the effects of solution chemistry on fouling behavior of ceramic membranes were generally similar to polymeric counterparts in terms of trends, while the extent varied significantly depending on water quality parameters. Lower fouling tendency and enhanced cleaning efficiency were observed with the ceramic membrane, further promoting the potential for ceramic membrane application to surface water treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Reverse-osmosis membranes by plasma polymerization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollahan, J. R.; Wydeven, T.

    1972-01-01

    Thin allyl amine polymer films were developed using plasma polymerization. Resulting dry composite membranes effectively reject sodium chloride during reverse osmosis. Films are 98% sodium chloride rejective, and 46% urea rejective.

  2. Characteristics of polyimide-based composite membranes fabricated by low-temperature plasma polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dung Thi Tran; Mori, Shinsuke; Suzuki, Masaaki

    2008-01-01

    Composite membranes were prepared by the deposition of plasma-polymerized allylamine films onto a porous polyimide substrate. The relationship between the plasma conditions and the membrane characteristics was described in terms of monomer flow rate, plasma discharge power, plasma polymerization time, and so on. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicate that the thickness of the plasma polymer layer increased and the membrane skin pore size decreased gradually with the increasing of plasma polymerization time. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra demonstrate the appearance of amine groups in the plasma deposited polymer and the contact angle measurements indicate that the hydrophilicity of the membrane surfaces increased significantly after plasma polymerization. The composite membranes can reject salt from sodium chloride feed solution, and membrane separation performance depends strongly on the plasma conditions applied during the preparation of the plasma deposited polymer films

  3. Proteins and Peptides in Biomimetic Polymeric Membranes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Perez, Alfredo Gonzalez

    2013-01-01

    This chapter discusses recent advances and the main advantages of block copolymers for functional membrane protein reconstitution in biomimetic polymeric membranes. A rational approach to the reconstitution of membrane proteins in a functional form can be addressed by a more holistic view by using...... other kind of nonbiological amphiphilic molecules. An interesting possibility could be the use of self-assembled proteins in a lipid-free membrane mimicking the capside of some viruses. The membrane proteins that have been more actively used in combination with block copolymer membranes are gramicidin...

  4. A novel, fast responding, low noise potentiometric sensor containing a carbon-based polymeric membrane for measuring surfactants in industrial and environmental applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samardžić, Mirela; Galović, Olivera; Hajduković, Mateja; Sak-Bosnar, Milan

    2017-01-01

    A new high-sensitivity potentiometric sensor for anionic surfactants was fabricated using the dimethyldioctadecylammonium-tetraphenylborate (DDA-TPB) ion associate as an ionophore that was incorporated into a liquid PVC membrane. Carbon powder was used for immobilization of the ionophore in the membrane, thus significantly reducing its ohmic resistance and reducing its signal drift. The sensor exhibits a sub-Nernstian response for both dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS) and dodecyl sulfate (DS) in H 2 O (55.3 and 58.5mV/decade of activity, respectively) in a range between 3.2×10 -7 and 4.6×10 -3 M for DS and 2.5×10 -7 and 1.2×10 -3 M for DBS. The sensor also exhibited a sub-Nernstian response for DS and DBS in 10mM Na 2 SO 4 (55.4 and 57.7mV/decade of activity, respectively) between 2.5×10 -7 and 4.6×10 -3 M for DS and 1.5×10 -7 and 8.8×10 -4 M for DBS. The detection limits for DS and DBS in H 2 O were 2.5×10 -7 and 2.0×10 -7 M and in 10mM Na 2 SO 4 the detection limits were 2.5×10 -7 and 1.2×10 -7 M, respectively. The response time of the sensor was less than 5s for changes at higher concentration levels (above 1×10 -4 M) in both water and 10mM Na 2 SO 4. At lower concentrations (below 1×10 -5 M) the response times were 8 and 6s in water and 10mM Na 2 SO 4 , respectively. The signal drift of the sensor was 1.2mV/hour. The new carbon-based sensor exhibited excellent selectivity performance for DS over almost all of the anions commonly present in commercial formulations and it was successfully employed as an end-point detector in potentiometric titrations of anionic surfactants in a pH range from 3 to 12. Three-component mixtures containing sodium alkanesulfonate (C 10 , C 12 and C 14 ) were successfully differentially titrated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Graphene-based biomimetic materials targeting urine metabolite as potential cancer biomarker: application over different conductive materials for potentiometric transduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Truta, Liliana A.A.N.A.; Ferreira, Nádia S.; Sales, M. Goreti F.

    2015-01-01

    This works presents a novel surface Smart Polymer Antibody Material (SPAM) for Carnitine (CRT, a potential biomarker of ovarian cancer), tested for the first time as ionophore in potentiometric electrodes of unconventional configuration. The SPAM material consisted of a 3D polymeric network created by surface imprinting on graphene layers. The polymer was obtained by radical polymerization of (vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride and 4-styrenesulfonic acid (signaling the binding sites), and vinyl pivalate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (surroundings). Non-imprinted material (NIM) was prepared as control, by excluding the template from the procedure. These materials were then used to produce several plasticized PVC membranes, testing the relevance of including the SPAM as ionophore, and the need for a charged lipophilic additive. The membranes were casted over solid conductive supports of graphite or ITO/FTO. The effect of pH upon the potentiometric response was evaluated for different pHs (2-9) with different buffer compositions. Overall, the best performance was achieved for membranes with SPAM ionophore, having a cationic lipophilic additive and tested in HEPES (4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid) buffer, pH 5.1. Better slopes were achieved when the membrane was casted on conductive glass (−57.4mV/decade), while the best detection limits were obtained for graphite-based conductive supports (3.6×10−5mol/L). Good selectivity was observed against BSA, ascorbic acid, glucose, creatinine and urea, tested for concentrations up to their normal physiologic levels in urine. The application of the devices to the analysis of spiked samples showed recoveries ranging from 91% (± 6.8%) to 118% (± 11.2%). Overall, the combination of the SPAM sensory material with a suitable selective membrane composition and electrode design has lead to a promising tool for point-of-care applications. PMID:26456975

  6. Fabrication of novel coated pyrolytic graphite electrodes for the selective nano-level monitoring of Cd²⁺ ions in biological and environmental samples using polymeric membrane of newly synthesized macrocycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahani, Manoj Kumar; Singh, A K; Jain, A K; Upadhyay, Anjali; Kumar, Amit; Singh, Udai P; Narang, Shikha

    2015-02-20

    Novel 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol unit based macrocyclic ionophore 5,11,17-trithia-1,3,7,9,13,15,19,20,21-nonaazatetracyclo[14.2.1.1(4,7).1(10,13)]henicosa-4(20),10(21),16(19)-triene-6,12,18-trithione (M1), was synthesized and characterized. Preliminary studies on M1 have showed that it has more the affinity toward Cd(2+) ion. Thus, the macrocyclic ionophore (M1) was used as electroactive material in the fabrication of PVC-membrane electrodes such as polymeric membrane electrode (PME), coated graphite electrode (CGE) and coated pyrolytic graphite electrode (CPGE) were prepared and its performance characteristic were compared with. The electroanalytical studies performed on PME, CGE and CPGE revealed that CPGE having membrane composition M1:PVC:1-CN:NaTPB in the ratio of 7:37:54:2 exhibits the best potentiometric characteristics in terms of detection limit of 7.58×10(-9) mol L(-1), Nernstian slope of 29.6 mV decade(-1) of activity. The sensor was found to be independent of pH in the range 2.5-8.5. The sensor showed a fast response time of 10s and could be used over a period of 4 months without any significant divergence in its potentiometric characteristics. The sensor has been employed for monitoring of the Cd(2+) ion in real samples and also used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Cd(2+) ion with EDTA. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. SHORT COMMUNICATION POTENTIOMETRIC DETERMINATION ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    a

    SHORT COMMUNICATION. POTENTIOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF K+ IONS USING A K+-SELECTIVE. ELECTRODE WITH MACROCYCLIC LIQUID MEMBRANE. Cezar Spinu*, Marian Isvoranu, Maria Pleniceanu and Cristian Tigae. Faculty of Chemistry, University of Craiova, A.I. Cuza 13, Craiova, Romania. (Received ...

  8. Surface modification of cation exchange membranes by graft polymerization of PAA-co-PANI/MWCNTs nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nemati, Mahsa; Hosseini, Sayed Mohsen; Bagheripour, Ehsan; Madaeni, Sayed Siavash

    2016-01-01

    Surface modification of polyvinylchloride based heterogeneous cation exchange membrane was performed by graft polymerization of PAA and PAA-co-PANI/MWCNTs nanoparticles. The ion exchange membranes were prepared by solution casting technique. Spectra analysis confirmed graft polymerization clearly. SEM images illustrated that graft polymerization covers the membranes by simple gel network entanglement. The membrane water content was decreased by graft polymerization of PAA-co-PANI/MWCNTs nanoparticles on membrane surface. Membrane transport number and selectivity declined initially by PAA graft polymerization and then began to increase by utilizing of composite nanoparticles in modifier solution. The sodium and barium flux was improved sharply by PAA and PAAco- 0.01%wt PANI/MWCNTs graft polymerization on membrane surface and then decreased again by more increase of PANI/MWCNTs nanoparticles content ratio in modifier solution. The electrodialysis experiment results in laboratory scale showed higher dialytic rate in heavy metals removal for grafted-PAA and grafted-PAA-co-PANI/MWCNTs modified membrane compared to pristine one. Membrane areal electrical resistance was also decreased by introducing graft polymerization of PAA and PAA-co-PANI/MWCNTs NPs on membrane surface.

  9. Cellulose acetate-based molecularly imprinted polymeric membrane for separation of vanillin and o-vanillin

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang,Chunjing; Zhong,Shian; Yang,Zhengpeng

    2008-01-01

    Cellulose acetate-based molecularly imprinted polymeric membranes were prepared using vanillin as template molecule. The microscopic structure of the resultant polymeric membranes was characterized by SEM and FTIR spectroscopy, and the selective binding properties and separation capacity of the membranes for vanillin and o-vanillin were tested with binding experiments and separate experiments, respectively. The results showed that the vanillin-imprinted polymeric membranes displayed higher bi...

  10. Constructing Functional Ionic Membrane Surface by Electrochemically Mediated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fen Ran

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The sodium polyacrylate (PAANa contained polyethersulfone membrane that was fabricated by preparation of PES-NH2 via nonsolvent phase separation method, the introduction of bromine groups as active sites by grafting α-Bromoisobutyryl bromide, and surface-initiated electrochemically atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-eATRP of sodium acrylate (AANa on the surface of PES membrane. The polymerization could be controlled by reaction condition, such as monomer concentration, electric potential, polymerization time, and modifier concentration. The membrane surface was uniform when the monomer concentration was 0.9 mol/L, the electric potential was −0.12 V, the polymerization time was 8 h, and the modifier concentration was 2 wt.%. The membrane showed excellent hydrophilicity and blood compatibility. The water contact angle decreased from 84° to 68° and activated partial thromboplastin increased from 51 s to 84 s after modification of the membranes.

  11. Construction and performance characteristics of polymeric membrane electrode and coated graphite electrode for the selective determination of Fe³⁺ ion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandi, Koteswara Rao; Singh, Ashok K; Upadhyay, Anjali

    2014-03-01

    Novel Fe(3+) ion-selective polymeric membrane electrodes (PMEs) were prepared using three different ionophores N-(4-(dimethylamino)benzylidene)thiazol-2-amine [L1], 5-((3-methylthiophene-2yl) methyleneamino)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol [L2] and N-((3-methylthiophene-2yl)methylene)thiazol-2-amine [L3] and their potentiometric characteristics were discussed. Effect of various plasticizers and anion excluders was also studied in detail and improved performance was observed. The best performance was obtained for the membrane electrode having a composition of L2:PVC:o-NPOE:NaTPB as 3:38.5:56:2.5 (w/w; mg). A coated graphite electrode (CGE) was also prepared with the same composition and compared. CGE is found to perform better as it shows a wider working concentration range of 8.3×10(-8)-1.0×10(-1)molL(-1), a lower detection limit of 2.3×10(-8)molL(-1), and a near Nernstian slope of 19.5 ± 0.4 mVdecade(-1) of activity with a response time of 10s. The CGE shows a shelf life of 6 weeks and in view of high selectivity, it can be used to quantify Fe(3+) ion in water, soil, vegetable and medicinal plants. It can also be used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of EDTA with Fe(3+) ion. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Surface engineering: molecularly imprinted affinity membranes by photograft polymerization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matuschewski, Heike; Sergeyeva, Tatiana A.; Bendig, Juergen; Piletsky, Sergey A.; Ulbricht, Matthies; Schedler, Uwe

    2001-02-01

    Commercial polymer microfiltration membranes were surface-modified with a graft copolymer of a functional monomer and a crosslinker in the presence of a template (triazine-herbicide). As result, membranes covered with a thin layer of imprinted polymer (MIP) selective to the template were obtained. The influence of the polymerization conditions on membrane recognition properties was studied by membranes

  13. Aquaporin-Based Biomimetic Polymeric Membranes: Approaches and Challenges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Habel, Joachim Erich Otto; Hansen, Michael; Kynde, Søren

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, aquaporin biomimetic membranes (ABMs) for water separation have gained considerable interest. Although the first ABMs are commercially available, there are still many challenges associated with further ABM development. Here, we discuss the interplay of the main components of ABMs...... thin film interfacial polymerization techniques. Finally, we describe some new developments in interfacial polymerization using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane cages for increasing the physical and chemical durability of thin film composite membranes.......In recent years, aquaporin biomimetic membranes (ABMs) for water separation have gained considerable interest. Although the first ABMs are commercially available, there are still many challenges associated with further ABM development. Here, we discuss the interplay of the main components of ABMs...... for investigating AQP incorporation including freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, stopped-flow light scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering. Third, we focus on recent efforts in embedding reconstituted AQPs in membrane designs that are based on conventional...

  14. An investigation on polymeric blend mixed matrix membranes of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Polymeric membranes have been vastly used for gas separation purposes however they have an upper-bound trade off problem which is the reason why this research work is focusing on inorganic filler added to polymer blend membranes to enhance the selectivity and permeability of the resulted membranes. Different ...

  15. Template Synthesis of Nanostructured Polymeric Membranes by Inkjet Printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Peng; Hunter, Aaron; Benavides, Sherwood; Summe, Mark J; Gao, Feng; Phillip, William A

    2016-02-10

    The fabrication of functional nanomaterials with complex structures has been serving great scientific and practical interests, but current fabrication and patterning methods are generally costly and laborious. Here, we introduce a versatile, reliable, and rapid method for fabricating nanostructured polymeric materials. The novel method is based on a combination of inkjet printing and template synthesis, and its utility and advantages in the fabrication of polymeric nanomaterials is demonstrated through three examples: the generation of polymeric nanotubes, nanowires, and thin films. Layer-by-layer-assembled nanotubes can be synthesized in a polycarbonate track-etched (PCTE) membrane by printing poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(styrenesulfonate) sequentially. This sequential deposition of polyelectrolyte ink enables control over the surface charge within the nanotubes. By a simple change of the printing conditions, polymeric nanotubes or nanowires were prepared by printing poly(vinyl alcohol) in a PCTE template. In this case, the high-throughput nature of the method enables functional nanomaterials to be generated in under 3 min. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inkjet printing paired with template synthesis can be used to generate patterns comprised of chemically distinct nanomaterials. Thin polymeric films of layer-by-layer-assembled poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(styrenesulfonate) are printed on a PCTE membrane. Track-etched membranes covered with the deposited thin films reject ions and can potentially be utilized as nanofiltration membranes. When the fabrication of these different classes of nanostructured materials is demonstrated, the advantages of pairing template synthesis with inkjet printing, which include fast and reliable deposition, judicious use of the deposited materials, and the ability to design chemically patterned surfaces, are highlighted.

  16. A balance between membrane elasticity and polymerization energy sets the shape of spherical clathrin coats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saleem, Mohammed; Morlot, Sandrine; Hohendahl, Annika; Manzi, John; Lenz, Martin; Roux, Aurélien

    2015-02-01

    In endocytosis, scaffolding is one of the mechanisms to create membrane curvature by moulding the membrane into the spherical shape of the clathrin cage. However, the impact of membrane elastic parameters on the assembly and shape of clathrin lattices has never been experimentally evaluated. Here, we show that membrane tension opposes clathrin polymerization. We reconstitute clathrin budding in vitro with giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), purified adaptors and clathrin. By changing the osmotic conditions, we find that clathrin coats cause extensive budding of GUVs under low membrane tension while polymerizing into shallow pits under moderate tension. High tension fully inhibits polymerization. Theoretically, we predict the tension values for which transitions between different clathrin coat shapes occur. We measure the changes in membrane tension during clathrin polymerization, and use our theoretical framework to estimate the polymerization energy from these data. Our results show that membrane tension controls clathrin-mediated budding by varying the membrane budding energy.

  17. Development and characterization of polymeric membranes for water desalination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bresciani, Danusa; Guimaraes, Danilo H.; Santos, Diego K.M.; Brioude, Michel M.; Jose, Nadia M.; Prado, Luis A.S.A.

    2009-01-01

    This work reports a development of polymeric membranes for water desalination by reverse osmosis. The polyester was synthesized by the reaction between glycerol, and dicarboxylic acids, and was coded PAF. Cellulose acetate/PAF blends containing 10% and 30% of polyester PAF blends were prepared using compression molding. The materials were characterized by DRX, DSC, TGA and SEM techniques. The results blends showed good thermal resistance and thermal events due to the individual components of the blends. The membranes exhibited a good performance in comparison to the neat cellulose acetate membrane. The addition of PAF in the polyester composition of the polymeric blends caused a significant increase of the salt retention of the studied samples. (author)

  18. Absence of first-order unbinding transitions of fluid and polymerized membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grotehans, Stefan; Lipowsky, Reinhard

    1990-01-01

    Unbinding transitions of fluid and polymerized membranes are studied by renormalization-group (RG) methods. Two different RG schemes are used and found to give rather consistent results. The fixed-point structure of both RG's exhibits a complex behavior as a function of the decay exponent tau for the fluctuation-induced interaction of the membranes. For tau greater than tau(S2) interacting membranes can undergo first-order transitions even in the strong-fluctuation regime. These estimates for tau(S2) imply, however, that both fluid and polymerized membranes unbind in a continuous way in the absence of lateral tension.

  19. Corona-induced graft polymerization for surface modification of porous polyethersulfone membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Liping; Zhu Baoku; Xu Li; Feng Yongxiang; Liu Fu; Xu Youyi

    2007-01-01

    Graft polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) onto porous polyethersulfone (PES) membrane surfaces was developed using corona discharge in atmospheric ambience as an activation process followed by polymerization of AA in aqueous solution. The effects of the corona parameters and graft polymerization conditions on grafting yield (GY) of AA were investigated. The grafting of AA on the PES membranes was confirmed by ATR-FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Porosimetry measurements indicate the average pore diameters and porosities of the modified membranes decrease with the increase of the GY. The hydrophilicity and surface wetting properties of the original and modified membranes were evaluated by observing the dynamic changes of water contact angles. It is found that the grafting of AA occurs not only on the membrane surfaces, but also on the pore walls of the cells inside the membrane. The permeability experiments of protein solution reveal that the grafting of PAA endows the modified membranes with enhanced fluxes and anti-fouling properties. The optimized GY of AA is in the range of 150-200 μg/cm 2 . In addition, the tensile experiments show the corona discharge treatment with the power lower than 150 W yields little damage to the mechanical strength of the membranes

  20. Preparation of immobilized enzyme membrane by radiation-cast-polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumakura, M.; Kaetsu, I.

    1989-01-01

    The preparation of immobilized enzyme membranes was studied by radiation cast-polymerization at low temperatures using cellulase enzyme, hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers. The enzyme activity of the membranes was affected by monomer concentration, membrane thickness, and hydrophilicity of monomer, in which the membranes with 100 μm thickness from high monomer concentration (80%) had high enzyme activity, which was similar to that of the membranes with 1.0 mm thickness from low monomer concentration (20%). (author)

  1. Instrumentation for Measurement of Gas Permeability of Polymeric Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Upchurch, Billy T.; Wood, George M.; Brown, Kenneth G.; Burns, Karen S.

    1993-01-01

    A mass spectrometric 'Dynamic Delta' method for the measurement of gas permeability of polymeric membranes has been developed. The method is universally applicable for measurement of the permeability of any gas through polymeric membrane materials. The usual large sample size of more than 100 square centimeters required for other methods is not necessary for this new method which requires a size less than one square centimeter. The new method should fulfill requirements and find applicability for industrial materials such as food packaging, contact lenses and other commercial materials where gas permeability or permselectivity properties are important.

  2. Solvent sorption measurements in polymeric membranes with ATR-IR spectroscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Manito Pereira, A.M.; Lopes, M.C.; Timmer, J.M.K.; Keurentjes, J.T.F.

    2005-01-01

    Long-term stability and performance of polymeric membranes in solvent and mixed solvent media can be reduced due to sorption and swelling of the membrane matrix. For this reason quantification of sorption and swelling is of major importance for the development of future applications of membrane

  3. Polymeric molecular sieve membranes for gas separation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Sheng; Qiao, Zhenan; Chai, Songhai

    2017-08-15

    A porous polymer membrane useful in gas separation, the porous polymer membrane comprising a polymeric structure having crosslinked aromatic groups and a hierarchical porosity in which micropores having a pore size less than 2 nm are present at least in an outer layer of the porous polymer membrane, and macropores having a pore size of over 50 nm are present at least in an inner layer of the porous polymer membrane. Also described are methods for producing the porous polymer membrane in which a non-porous polymer membrane containing aromatic rings is subjected to a Friedel-Crafts crosslinking reaction in which a crosslinking molecule crosslinks the aromatic rings in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst and organic solvent under sufficiently elevated temperature, as well as methods for using the porous polymer membranes for gas or liquid separation, filtration, or purification.

  4. Surface modification of polypropylene membrane by polyethylene glycol graft polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abednejad, Atiye Sadat, E-mail: atiyeabednejad@gmail.com [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14395-1561, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Amoabediny, Ghasem [Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14395-1561, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Research Center for New Technologies in Life Science Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 63894-14179, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghaee, Azadeh [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14395-1561, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2014-09-01

    Polypropylene hollow fiber microporous membranes have been used in a wide range of applications, including blood oxygenator. The hydrophobic feature of the polypropylene surface causes membrane fouling. To minimize fouling, a modification consisting of three steps: surface activation in H{sub 2} and O{sub 2} plasma, membrane immersion in polyethylene glycol (PEG) and plasma graft polymerization was performed. The membranes were characterized by contact angle measurement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), tensile test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Oxygen transfer of modified membranes was also tested. The stability of grafted PEG was measured in water and in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) at 37 °C. Blood compatibility of modified surfaces was evaluated by the platelet adhesion method. Water contact angel reduction from 110° to 72° demonstrates the enhanced hydrophilicity, and XPS results verify the presence of oxygenated functional groups due to the peak existence in 286 eV as a result of PEG grafting. The results clearly indicate that plasma graft-polymerization of PEG is an effective way for antifouling improvement of polypropylene membranes. Also, the results show that oxygen transfer changes in PEG grafted membranes are not significant. - Highlights: • H{sub 2} and O{sub 2} plasma graft polymerization of PEG on polypropylene membrane was carried out. • Changes in surface properties were investigated by FTIR, XPS, SEM, and AFM. • Surface wettability enhanced as a result of poly ethylene glycol grafting. • PEG grafting degree increase causes reduction of fouling and adhesion.

  5. Aquaporin-Based Biomimetic Polymeric Membranes: Approaches and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habel, Joachim; Hansen, Michael; Kynde, Søren; Larsen, Nanna; Midtgaard, Søren Roi; Jensen, Grethe Vestergaard; Bomholt, Julie; Ogbonna, Anayo; Almdal, Kristoffer; Schulz, Alexander; Hélix-Nielsen, Claus

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, aquaporin biomimetic membranes (ABMs) for water separation have gained considerable interest. Although the first ABMs are commercially available, there are still many challenges associated with further ABM development. Here, we discuss the interplay of the main components of ABMs: aquaporin proteins (AQPs), block copolymers for AQP reconstitution, and polymer-based supporting structures. First, we briefly cover challenges and review recent developments in understanding the interplay between AQP and block copolymers. Second, we review some experimental characterization methods for investigating AQP incorporation including freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, stopped-flow light scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering. Third, we focus on recent efforts in embedding reconstituted AQPs in membrane designs that are based on conventional thin film interfacial polymerization techniques. Finally, we describe some new developments in interfacial polymerization using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane cages for increasing the physical and chemical durability of thin film composite membranes. PMID:26264033

  6. Advanced Polymeric and Organic–Inorganic Membranes for Pressure-Driven Processes

    KAUST Repository

    Le, Ngoc Lieu; Phuoc, Duong; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

    2017-01-01

    The state-of-the-art of membranes for reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and gas separation is shortly reviewed, taking in account the most representative examples currently in application. Emphasis is also done on recent developments of advanced polymeric and organic–inorganic materials for pressure-driven processes. Many of the more recent membranes are not only polymeric but also contain an inorganic phase. Tailoring innovative materials with organic and inorganic phases coexisting in a nanoscale with multifunctionalization is an appealing approach to control at the same time diffusivity and gas solubility. Other advanced materials that are now being considered for membrane development are organic or organic–inorganic self-assemblies, metal-organic frameworks, and different forms of carbon fillers.

  7. Advanced Polymeric and Organic–Inorganic Membranes for Pressure-Driven Processes

    KAUST Repository

    Le, Ngoc Lieu

    2017-02-13

    The state-of-the-art of membranes for reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and gas separation is shortly reviewed, taking in account the most representative examples currently in application. Emphasis is also done on recent developments of advanced polymeric and organic–inorganic materials for pressure-driven processes. Many of the more recent membranes are not only polymeric but also contain an inorganic phase. Tailoring innovative materials with organic and inorganic phases coexisting in a nanoscale with multifunctionalization is an appealing approach to control at the same time diffusivity and gas solubility. Other advanced materials that are now being considered for membrane development are organic or organic–inorganic self-assemblies, metal-organic frameworks, and different forms of carbon fillers.

  8. Permeation of supercritical carbon dioxide through polymeric hollow fiber membranes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Patil, V.E.; Broeke, van den L.J.P.; Vercauteren, F.F.; Keurentjes, J.T.F.

    2006-01-01

    Permeation of carbon dioxide was measured for two types of composite polymeric hollow fiber membranes for feed pressures up to 18 MPa at a temp. of 313 K. support membrane. The membranes consist of a polyamide copolymer (IPC) layer or a poly(vinyl alc.) (PVA) layer on top of a polyethersulfone

  9. Carbon Nanotubes-Based Potentiometric Bio-Sensors for Determination of Urea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewa Jaworska

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The possibility of using disposable plastic-carbon potentiometric sensors as enzyme biosensors was examined. Urease enzyme was immobilized on poly(vinyl chloride based H+- or NH4+-selective membranes using cellulose acetate. This approach has resulted in a potentiometric response on changing the pH of the solution or NH4+ ion content due to an enzymatic reaction that occurs between urease and urea. Both types of potentiometric biosensors for urea were characterized by good analytical parameters as high sensitivity and fast response time.

  10. PVC-membrane potentiometric sensors based on a recently synthesized Schiff base for Fe(III ion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Yousef Ebrahimipur

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available A potentiometric iron sensor based on the use 3-(2-diethylamino-ethylimino-1,3-dihydro-indol-2-one (DEDIO as an ionophore in poly(vinyl chloride (PVC matrix, is reported. The plasticized membrane sensor exhibits a Nernstian response for Fe(III ions over a wide concentration range (2.0 × 10-6 - 5.0 × 10-2 M with a super Nernstian slope of 26(plus or minus 1 mV per decade. It has a fast response time of less than 12 s and can be used for ten weeks without any considerable divergences in its potentials the electrode can be used in the pH range 4.5-8.0. The proposed sensor shows fairly good discriminating ability towards Fe(III ion in comparison with a large number of alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The sensor was used as indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of Fe(III ions vs. EDTA.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v26i1.7

  11. Functionalization of nanochannels by radio-induced grafting polymerization on PET track-etched membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soto Espinoza, S.L.; Arbeitman, C.R.; Clochard, M.C.; Grasselli, M.

    2014-01-01

    The application of swift-heavy ion bombardment to polymers is a well-established technique to manufacture micro- and nanopores onto polymeric films to obtain porous membranes. A few years ago, it was realized that, during ion bombardment, the high energy deposition along the ion path through the polymer reached cylindrical damage regions corresponding to the core trace and the penumbra. After the etching procedure, there are still enough active sites left in the penumbra that can be used to initiate a polymerization process selectively inside the membrane pores. In this study, we report the grafting polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate onto etched PET foils to obtain functionalized nanochannels. Grafted polymers were labeled with a fluorescent tag and analyzed by different fluorescence techniques such as direct fluorescence, fluorescence microscopy and confocal microscopy. These techniques allowed identifying and quantifying the grafted regions on the polymeric foils. - Highlights: • Irradiated PET foils with swift-heavy ions were etched and grafted in a step-by-step process. • Grafting polymerization was performed on the remaining active sites after etching. • Track-etched PET membranes were fluorescently labeled by chemical functionalization. • Functionalized track-etched PET membranes were analyzed by fluorescence and confocal microscopy

  12. Versatile and Rapid Postfunctionalization from Cyclodextrin Modified Host Polymeric Membrane Substrate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Jie; Liu, Xinyue; Zhang, Shuqing; Cheng, Chong; Nie, Chuanxiong; Zhao, Changsheng

    2015-09-08

    Surface modification has long been of great interest to impart desired functionalities to the bioimplants. However, due to the limitations of recent technologies in surface modification, it is highly desirable to explore novel protocols, which can advantageously and efficiently endow the inert material surfaces with versatile biofunctionalities. Herein, to achieve versatile and rapid postfunctionalization of polymeric membrane, we demonstrate a new strategy for the fabrication of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) modified host membrane substrate that can recognize a series of well-designed guest macromolecules. The surface assembly procedure was driven by the host-guest interaction between adamantane (Ad) and β-CD. β-CD immobilized host membrane was fabricated via two steps: (1) epoxy groups enriched poly(ether sulfone) (PES) membrane was first prepared via in situ cross-linking polymerization and subsequently phase separation; (2) mono-6-deoxy-6-ethylenediamine-β-CD (EDA-β-CD) was then anchored onto the surface of the epoxy functionalized PES membrane to obtain PES-CD. Subsequently, three types of Ad-terminated polymers, including Ad-poly(styrenesulfonate-co-sodium acrylate) (Ad-PSA), Ad-methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (Ad-PEG), and Ad-poly(methyl chloride-quaternized 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (Ad-PMT), were separately assembled onto the β-CD immobilized surfaces to endow the membranes with anticoagulant, antifouling, and antibacterial capability, respectively. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), and prothrombin time (PT) measurements were carried out to explore the anticoagulant activity. The antifouling capability was evaluated via protein adsorption and platelet adhesion measurements. Moreover, Staphyllococcous aureus (S. aureus) was selected as model bacteria to evaluate the antibacterial ability of the functionalized membranes. The results indicated that well-regulated blood compatibility, antifouling capability, and

  13. Preparation of membranes using solvent-less vapor deposition followed by in-situ polymerization

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Kevin C [San Ramon, CA; Letts, Stephan A [San Ramon, CA; Spadaccini, Christopher M [Oakland, CA; Morse, Jeffrey C [Pleasant Hill, CA; Buckley, Steven R [Modesto, CA; Fischer, Larry E [Los Gatos, CA; Wilson, Keith B [San Ramon, CA

    2010-07-13

    A system of fabricating a composite membrane from a membrane substrate using solvent-less vapor deposition followed by in-situ polymerization. A first monomer and a second monomer are directed into a mixing chamber in a deposition chamber. The first monomer and the second monomer are mixed in the mixing chamber providing a mixed first monomer and second monomer. The mixed first monomer and second monomer are solvent-less vapor deposited onto the membrane substrate in the deposition chamber. The membrane substrate and the mixed first monomer and second monomer are heated to produce in-situ polymerization and provide the composite membrane.

  14. Porous polymeric membranes with thermal and solvent resistance

    KAUST Repository

    Pulido, Bruno; Waldron, Christopher; Zolotukhin, M.G.; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

    2017-01-01

    Polymeric membranes are highly advantageous over their ceramic counterparts in terms of the simplicity of the manufacturing process, cost and scalability. Their main disadvantages are low stability at temperatures above 200 °C, and in organic

  15. Effect of amine structure on CO2 capture by polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taniguchi, Ikuo; Kinugasa, Kae; Toyoda, Mariko; Minezaki, Koki

    2017-01-01

    Poly(amidoamine)s (PAMAMs) incorporated into a cross-linked poly(ethylene glycol) exhibited excellent CO 2 separation properties over H 2 . However, the CO 2 permeability should be increased for practical applications. Monoethanolamine (MEA) used as a CO 2 determining agent in the current CO 2 capture technology at demonstration scale was readily immobilized in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix by solvent casting of aqueous mixture of PVA and the amine. The resulting polymeric membranes can be self-standing with the thickness above 3 μm and the amine fraction less than 80 wt%. The gas permeation properties were examined at 40 °C and under 80% relative humidity. The CO 2 separation performance increased with increase of the amine content in the polymeric membranes. When the amine fraction was 80 wt%, the CO 2 permeability coefficient of MEA containing membrane was 604 barrer with CO 2 selectivity of 58.5 over H 2 , which was much higher than the PAMAM membrane (83.7 barrer and 51.8, respectively) under the same operation conditions. On the other hand, ethylamine (EA) was also incorporated into PVA matrix to form a thin membrane. However, the resulting polymeric membranes exhibited slight CO 2 -selective gas permeation properties. The hydroxyl group of MEA was crucial for high CO 2 separation performance.

  16. Grafting of molecularly imprinted polymer to porous polyethylene filtration membranes by plasma polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowieson, D; Piletska, E; Moczko, E; Piletsky, S

    2013-08-01

    An application of plasma-induced grafting of polyethylene membranes with a thin layer of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was presented. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) membranes, "Vyon," were used as a substrate for plasma grafting modification. The herbicide atrazine, one of the most popular targets of the molecular imprinting, was chosen as a template. The parameters of the plasma treatment were optimized in order to achieve a good balance between polymerization and ablation processes. Modified HDPE membranes were characterized, and the presence of the grafted polymeric layer was confirmed based on the observed weight gain, pore size measurements, and infrared spectrometry. Since there was no significant change in the porosity of the modified membranes, it was assumed that only a thin layer of the polymer was introduced on the surface. The experiments on the re-binding of the template atrazine to the membranes modified with MIP and blank polymers were performed. HDPE membranes which were grafted with polymer using continuous plasma polymerization demonstrated the best result which was expressed in an imprinted factor equal to 3, suggesting that molecular imprinting was successfully achieved.

  17. Hyper-cross-linked, hybrid membranes via interfacial polymerization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Raaijmakers, Michiel

    2015-01-01

    Hyper-cross-linked, hybrid membranes consist of covalent networks of alternating organic and inorganic, or biological groups. This thesis reports on the preparation of such hybrid networks via interfacial polymerization. The structure-property relationships of the hybrid networks depend strongly on

  18. Determination of arsenate and organic arsenic via potentiometric titration of its heteropoly anions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metelka, R; Slavíková, S; Vytras, K

    2002-08-16

    Determination of arsenate based on its conversion to molybdoarsenate heteropoly anions followed by potentiometric titration is described. The titration is realized on the ion-pairing principle using cetylpyridinium chloride (or an analogous titrant containing a lipophilic cation), and is monitored by a carbon paste electrode, although other liquid-polymeric membrane-based electrodes can also be used. Calibration plots of the titrant end-point consumption versus concentration of arsenic were constructed and used to evaluate the content of arsenic in aqueous samples. The method could be applied in the analyses of samples with quite low arsenic content (amounts approximately 10 mug As in 50 cm(3) could be titrated). Organic arsenic was determined analogously after the Schöniger combustion of the sample and conversion of its arsenic to arsenate.

  19. Fluorinated tripodal receptors for potentiometric chloride detection in biological fluids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pankratova, Nadezda; Cuartero, Maria; Jowett, Laura A; Howe, Ethan N W; Gale, Philip A; Bakker, Eric; Crespo, Gastón A

    2018-01-15

    Fluorinated tripodal compounds were recently reported to be efficient transmembrane transporters for a series of inorganic anions. In particular, this class of receptors has been shown to be suitable for the effective complexation of chloride, nitrate, bicarbonate and sulfate anions via hydrogen bonding. The potentiometric properties of urea and thiourea-based fluorinated tripodal receptors are explored here for the first time, in light of the need for reliable sensors for chloride monitoring in undiluted biological fluids. The ion selective electrode (ISE) membranes with tren-based tris-urea bis(CF 3 ) tripodal compound (ionophore I) were found to exhibit the best selectivity for chloride over major lipophilic anions such as salicylate ( [Formula: see text] ) and thiocyanate ( [Formula: see text] ). Ionophore I-based ISEs were successfully applied for chloride determination in undiluted human serum as well as artificial serum sample, the slope of the linear calibration at the relevant background of interfering ions being close to Nernstian (49.8±1.7mV). The results of potentiometric measurements were confirmed by argentometric titration. Moreover, the ionophore I-based ISE membrane was shown to exhibit a very good long-term stability of potentiometric performance over the period of 10 weeks. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) titrations, potentiometric sandwich membrane experiments and density functional theory (DFT) computational studies were performed to determine the binding constants and suggest 1:1 complexation stoichiometry for the ionophore I with chloride as well as salicylate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Spin Label Studies of the Hemoglobin-Membrane Interaction During Sickle Hemoglobin Polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Falcon Dieguez, Jose E.; Rodi, Pablo; Lores Guevara, Manuel A.; Gennaro, Ana Maria

    2009-12-01

    An enhanced hemoglobin-membrane association has been previously documented in Sickle Cell Anemia. However, it is not known how this interaction is modified during the hemoglobin S polymerization process. In this work, we use a model of reconstituted erythrocytes from ghost membranes whose cytoskeleton proteins had been previously labeled with the 4-maleimido Tempo spin label, and that were subsequently resealed with hemoglobin S or A solutions. Using EPR spectroscopy, we studied the time dependence of the spectral W/S parameter, indicative of the conformational state of cytoskeleton proteins (mainly spectrin) under spontaneous deoxygenation, with the aim of detecting the eventual effects due to hemoglobin S polymerization. The differences observed in the temporal behaviour of W/S in erythrocytes reconstituted with both hemoglobins were considered as experimental evidence of an increment in hemoglobin S-membrane interaction, as a result of the polymerization process of hemoglobin S under spontaneous deoxygenation. (author)

  1. Water vapor and Gas Transport through Polymeric Membranes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Metz, S.J.

    2003-01-01

    Water vapor transport through polymeric materials plays an important role in a large number of applications such as: food packaging, breathable clothing, roofing membranes, diapers, and the removal of water vapor from gas streams (e.g. dehydration of natural gas or the drying of compressed air).

  2. Surface patterning of polymeric separation membranes and its influence on the filtration performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maruf, Sajjad

    Polymeric membrane based separation technologies are crucial for addressing the global issues such as water purification. However, continuous operations of these processes are often hindered by fouling which increases mass transport resistance of the membrane to permeation and thus the energy cost, and eventually replacement of the membrane in the system. In comparison to other anti-fouling strategies, the use of controlled surface topography to mitigate fouling has not been realized mainly due to the lack of methods to create targeted topography on the porous membrane surface. This thesis aims to develop a new methodology to create surface-patterned polymeric separation membrane to improve their anti-fouling characteristics during filtration. First, successful fabrication of sub-micron surface patterns directly on a commercial ultrafiltration (UF) membrane surface using nanoimprint lithographic (NIL) technique was demonstrated. Comprehensive filtration studies revealed that the presence of these sub-micron surface patterns mitigates not only the onset of colloidal particle deposition, but also lowers the rate of growth of cake layer after initial deposition, in comparison with un-patterned membranes. The anti-fouling effects were also observed for model protein solutions. Staged filtration experiments, with backwash cleaning, revealed that the permeate flux of the patterned membrane after protein fouling was considerably higher than that of the pristine or un-patterned membrane. In addition to the surface-patterning of UF membranes, successful fabrication of a surface-patterned thin film composite (TFC) membrane was shown for the first time. A two-step fabrication process was carried out by (1) nanoimprinting a polyethersulfone (PES) support using NIL, and (2) forming a thin dense film atop the PES support via interfacial polymerization (IP). Fouling experiments suggest that the surface patterns alter the hydrodynamics at the membrane-feed interface, which is

  3. Field testing of polymeric mesh and ash-based ceramic membranes ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper presents the initial findings of field testing of 2 low-cost membrane filters, viz. 30 ìm polymeric mesh and 2–6 ìm macroporous waste-ash based ceramic filter, in a submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) employing batch anoxic and aerobic conditions. The influent was raw wastewater from a residential complex ...

  4. Development of polymeric palladium-nanoparticle membrane-installed microflow devices and their application in hydrodehalogenation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, Yoichi M A; Watanabe, Toshihiro; Ohno, Aya; Uozumi, Yasuhiro

    2012-02-13

    We have developed a variety of polymeric palladium-nanoparticle membrane-installed microflow devices. Three types of polymers were convoluted with palladium salts under laminar flow conditions in a microflow reactor to form polymeric palladium membranes at the laminar flow interface. These membranes were reduced with aqueous sodium formate or heat to create microflow devices that contain polymeric palladium-nanoparticle membranes. These microflow devices achieved instantaneous hydrodehalogenation of aryl chlorides, bromides, iodides, and triflates by 10-1000 ppm within a residence time of 2-8 s at 50-90 °C by using safe, nonexplosive, aqueous sodium formate to quantitatively afford the corresponding hydrodehalogenated products. Polychlorinated biphenyl (10-1000 ppm) and polybrominated biphenyl (1000 ppm) were completely decomposed under similar conditions, yielding biphenyl as a fungicidal compound. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Characterizing free volumes and layer structures in polymeric membranes using slow positron annihilation spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jean, Y C; Chen Hongmin; Awad, Somia; Zhang Sui; Chen Hangzheng; Lau, Cher Hon; Wang Huan; Li Fuyun; Chung, Tai-Shung; Lee, L James; Huang, James

    2011-01-01

    Positron annihilation spectroscopy coupled with a newly built slow positron beam at National University of Singapore has been used to study the free volume, pore, and depth profile (0 - 10 μm) in cellulose acetate polymeric membrane at the bottom and top sides of membranes for ionic separation in water purification applications. The S and R parameters from Doppler broadening energy of annihilation radiation representing free volumes (0.1-1 nm size) and pores (>1 nm-μm) as a function of depth have been analyzed into multilayers, i.e. skin dense, transition, and porous layers, respectively. The top side of membrane has large free volumes and pores and the bottom side has a skin dense layer, which plays a key role in membrane performance. Positron annihilation lifetime results provide additional information about free-volume size and distribution at the atomic and molecular scale in polymeric membrane systems. Doppler broadening energy and lifetime spectroscopies coupled with a variable mono-energy slow positron beam are sensitive and novel techniques for characterization of polymeric membrane in separation applications.

  6. Erythrocyte membrane modified janus polymeric motors for thrombus therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shao, Jingxin; Abdelghani, Mona; Shen, Guizhi; Cao, Shoupeng; Williams, David S.; van Hest, Jan C.M.

    2018-01-01

    We report the construction of erythrocyte membrane-cloaked Janus polymeric motors (EM-JPMs) which are propelled by near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation and are successfully applied in thrombus ablation. Chitosan (a natural polysaccharide with positive charge, CHI) and heparin (glycosaminoglycan

  7. Feedback Interactions of Polymerized Actin with the Cell Membrane: Waves, Pulses, and Oscillations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlsson, Anders

    Polymerized filaments of the protein actin have crucial functions in cell migration, and in bending the cell membrane to drive endocytosis or the formation of protrusions. The nucleation and polymerization of actin filaments are controlled by upstream agents in the cell membrane, including nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs) that activate the Arp2/3 complex to form new branches on pre-existing filaments. But polymerized actin (F-actin) also feeds back on the assembly of NPFs. We explore the effects of the resulting feedback loop of F-actin and NPFs on two phenomena: actin pulses that drive endocytosis in yeast, and actin waves traveling along the membrane of several cell types. In our model of endocytosis in yeast, the actin network is grown explicitly in three dimensions, exerts a negative feedback interaction on localized patch of NPFs in the membrane, and bends the membrane by exerting a distribution of forces. This model explains observed actin and NPF pulse dynamics, and the effects of several interventions including i) NPF mutations, ii) inhibition of actin polymerization, and iii) deletion of a protein that allows F-actin to bend the cell membrane. The model predicts that mutation of the active region of an NPF will enhance the accumulation of that NPF, and we confirm this prediction by quantitative fluorescence microscopy. For actin waves, we treat a similar model, with NPFs distributed over a larger region of the cell membrane. This model naturally generates actin waves, and predicts a transition from wave behavior to spatially localized oscillations when NPFs are confined to a small region. We also predict a transition from waves to static polarization as the negative-feedback coupling between F-actin and the NPFs is reduced. Supported by NIGMS Grant R01 GM107667.

  8. A review on polymeric hydrogel membranes for wound dressing applications: PVA-based hydrogel dressings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elbadawy A. Kamoun

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This review presents the past and current efforts with a brief description on the featured properties of hydrogel membranes fabricated from biopolymers and synthetic ones for wound dressing applications. Many endeavors have been exerted during past ten years for developing new artificial polymeric membranes, which fulfill the demanded conditions for the treatment of skin wounds. This review mainly focuses on representing specifications of ideal polymeric wound dressing membranes, such as crosslinked hydrogels compatible with wound dressing purposes. But as the hydrogels with single component have low mechanical strength, recent trends have offered composite or hybrid hydrogel membranes to achieve the typical wound dressing requirements.

  9. Lanthanide recognition: A Ho3+ potentiometric membrane sensor as a probe for determination of terazosin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ganjali, Mohammad Reza; Shams, Haniyeh; Faridbod, Farnoush; Hajiaghababaei, Leila; Norouzi, Parviz

    2009-01-01

    In this study, complexation of N'-(1-pyridin-2-ylmethylene)-2-furohydrazide (NFH) with some metal ions was investigated by conductometry and spectroscopy. Then, a Ho 3+ potentiometric membrane sensor was prepared based on the highly selective complexation between this ionophore and Ho 3+ . These new ionophores are more selective than the previously reported ones. In this work, for the first time, the proposed sensor was applied in indirect determination of the terazocine in its pharmaceutical formulation. The interest in constructing lanthanide sensors arises because they have similar ionic radii to calcium, but a higher charge density, which allows them to be used as probes to find the interactions between Ca 2+ and biologically important molecules.

  10. Antifouling coatings via plasma polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization on thin film composite membranes for reverse osmosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirsch, Ulrike; Ruehl, Marco; Teuscher, Nico; Heilmann, Andreas

    2018-04-01

    A major drawback to otherwise highly efficient membrane-based desalination techniques like reverse osmosis (RO) is the susceptibility of the membranes to biofouling. In this work, a combination of plasma activation, plasma bromination and surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (si-ATRP) of hydrophilic and zwitterionic monomers, namely hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]-dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (SBMA), was applied to generate non-specific, anti-adhesive coatings on thin film composite (TFC) membranes. The antifouling effect of the coatings was shown by short-time batch as well as long-time steady state cultivation experiments with the microorganism Pseudomonas fluorescens. It could be shown that plasma functionalization and polymerization is possible on delicate thin film composite membranes without restricting their filtration performance. All modified membranes showed an increased resistance towards the adhesion of Pseudomonas fluorescens. On average, the biofilm coverage was reduced by 51.4-12.6% (for HEMA, SBMA, and MPC), the highest reduction was monitored for MPC with a biofilm reduction by 85.4%. The hydrophilic coatings applied did not only suppress the adhesion of Pseudomonas fluorescens, but also significantly increase the permeate flux of the membranes relative to uncoated membranes. The stability of the coatings was however not ideal and will have to be improved for future commercial use.

  11. Amine Enrichment of Thin-Film Composite Membranes via Low Pressure Plasma Polymerization for Antimicrobial Adhesion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reis, Rackel; Dumée, Ludovic F; He, Li; She, Fenghua; Orbell, John D; Winther-Jensen, Bjorn; Duke, Mikel C

    2015-07-15

    Thin-film composite membranes, primarily based on poly(amide) (PA) semipermeable materials, are nowadays the dominant technology used in pressure driven water desalination systems. Despite offering superior water permeation and salt selectivity, their surface properties, such as their charge and roughness, cannot be extensively tuned due to the intrinsic fabrication process of the membranes by interfacial polymerization. The alteration of these properties would lead to a better control of the materials surface zeta potential, which is critical to finely tune selectivity and enhance the membrane materials stability when exposed to complex industrial waste streams. Low pressure plasma was employed to introduce amine functionalities onto the PA surface of commercially available thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. Morphological changes after plasma polymerization were analyzed by SEM and AFM, and average surface roughness decreased by 29%. Amine enrichment provided isoelectric point changes from pH 3.7 to 5.2 for 5 to 15 min of plasma polymerization time. Synchrotron FTIR mappings of the amine-modified surface indicated the addition of a discrete 60 nm film to the PA layer. Furthermore, metal affinity was confirmed by the enhanced binding of silver to the modified surface, supported by an increased antimicrobial functionality with demonstrable elimination of E. coli growth. Essential salt rejection was shown minimally compromised for faster polymerization processes. Plasma polymerization is therefore a viable route to producing functional amine enriched thin-film composite PA membrane surfaces.

  12. Surface functionalization of a polymeric lipid bilayer for coupling a model biological membrane with molecules, cells, and microstructures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morigaki, Kenichi; Mizutani, Kazuyuki; Saito, Makoto; Okazaki, Takashi; Nakajima, Yoshihiro; Tatsu, Yoshiro; Imaishi, Hiromasa

    2013-02-26

    We describe a stable and functional model biological membrane based on a polymerized lipid bilayer with a chemically modified surface. A polymerized lipid bilayer was formed from a mixture of two diacetylene-containing phospholipids, 1,2-bis(10,12-tricosadiynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DiynePC) and 1,2-bis(10,12-tricosadiynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DiynePE). DiynePC formed a stable bilayer structure, whereas the ethanolamine headgroup of DiynePE enabled functional molecules to be grafted onto the membrane surface. Copolymerization of DiynePC and DiynePE resulted in a robust bilayer. Functionalization of the polymeric bilayer provided a route to a robust and biomimetic surface that can be linked with biomolecules, cells, and three-dimensional (3D) microstructures. Biotin and peptides were grafted onto the polymeric bilayer for attaching streptavidin and cultured mammalian cells by molecular recognition, respectively. Nonspecific adsorption of proteins and cells on polymeric bilayers was minimum. DiynePE was also used to attach a microstructure made of an elastomer (polydimethylsiloxan: PDMS) onto the membrane, forming a confined aqueous solution between the two surfaces. The microcompartment enabled us to assay the activity of a membrane-bound enzyme (cyochrome P450). Natural (fluid) lipid bilayers were incorporated together with membrane-bound proteins by lithographically polymerizing DiynePC/DiynePE bilayers. The hybrid membrane of functionalized polymeric bilayers and fluid bilayers offers a novel platform for a wide range of biomedical applications including biosensor, bioassay, cell culture, and cell-based assay.

  13. Analysis of ultrasonic techniques for the characterization of microfiltration polymeric membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucas, Carla S.; Baroni, Douglas B.; Costa, Antonio M.L.M.; Bittencourt, Marcelo S.Q.

    2009-01-01

    The use of polymeric membranes is extremely important in several industries such as nuclear, biotechnology, chemical and pharmaceutical. In the nuclear area, for instance, systems based on membrane separation technologies are currently being used in the treatment of radioactive liquid effluent, and new technologies using membranes are being developed at a great rate. The knowledge of the physical characteristics of these membranes, such as, pore size and the pore size distribution, is very important to the membranes separation processes. Only after these characteristics are known is it possible to determine the type and to choose a particular membrane for a specific application. In this work, two ultrasonic non destructive techniques were used to determine the porosity of membranes: pulse echo and transmission. A 25 MHz immersion transducer was used. Ultrasonic signals were acquired, for both techniques, after the ultrasonic waves passed through a microfiltration polymeric membrane of pore size of 0.45 μm and thickness of 180 μm. After the emitted ultrasonic signal crossed the membrane, the received signal brought several information on the influence of the membrane porosity in the standard signal of the ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic signals were acquired in the time domain and changed to the frequency domain by application of the Fourier Fast Transform (FFT), thus generating the material frequency spectrum. For the pulse echo technique, the ultrasonic spectrum frequency changed after the ultrasonic wave crossed the membrane. With the transmission technique there was only a displacement of the ultrasonic signal at the time domain. (author)

  14. Effective Interfacially Polymerized Polyester Solvent Resistant Nanofiltration Membrane from Bioderived Materials

    KAUST Repository

    Abdellah, Mohamed H.

    2018-05-18

    Utilization of sustainable and environmentally friendly solvents for the preparation of membranes has attracted growing interest in recent years. In this work, a polyester thin film composite solvent resistant nanofiltration (SRNF) membrane is prepared by interfacial polymerization on a cellulose support. The cellulose support is prepared by nonsolvent‐induced phase separation from a dope solution containing an ionic liquid as an environmentally friendly solvent (negligible vapor pressure). The polyester film is formed via the interfacial reaction between quercetin, a plant‐derived polyphenol, and terephthaloyl chloride. Alpha‐pinene is used as a green alternative solvent to dissolve terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) while quercetin is dissolved in a 0.2 m NaOH solution. The interfacial polymerization reaction is successfully confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy while scanning electron and atomic force microscopy are used to characterize the membrane structure. The composite membrane shows an outstanding performance with a molecular weight cut‐off around 330 Da combined with a dimethylformamide (DMF) permeance up to 2.8 L m−2 bar−1 h−1. The membrane is stable in strong aprotic solvents such as DMF offering potential application in the pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries.

  15. Preparation of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) Membrane on Porous Polymeric Support via Contra-Diffusion Method

    KAUST Repository

    Tan, Xiaoyu

    2016-01-01

    way to
fabricate defect-free and thin ZIF-8 membranes on porous polymeric supports showing high selectivity and high gas permeance. The ZIF-8 layers were produced via a contra-diffusion method. Several polymeric membranes were employed as support

  16. Complexation-Induced Phase Separation: Preparation of Metal-Rich Polymeric Membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Villalobos, Luis Francisco

    2017-01-01

    The majority of state-of-the-art polymeric membranes for industrial or medical applications are fabricated by phase inversion. Complexation induced phase separation (CIPS)—a surprising variation of this well-known process—allows direct fabrication

  17. Fabrication of high-capacity polyelectrolyte brush-grafted porous AAO-silica composite membrane via RAFT polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Cunfeng; Wang, Meijie; Liu, Xin; Wang, He; Chen, Xiaoling; Dai, Lizong

    2017-09-01

    Surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization has been utilized to fabricate high-capacity strong anion-exchange (AEX) membrane for the separation of protein. By means of RAFT polymerization, quaternized poly(3-(methacrylamidomethyl)-pyridine) brushes formed 3-dimensional nanolayers on the surface of porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO)-silica composite membrane. The surface properties of the membranes were analyzed by SEM, water contact angle, ATR-FTIR, XPS and TGA. To investigate the adsorption performance, the new AEX membranes were applied to recover a model protein, ovalbumin (OVA). High adsorption capacities of 95.8mg/g membranes (static) and 65.3mg/g membranes (dynamic) were obtained at ambient temperature. In the further studies, up to 90% of the adsorbed OVA was efficiently eluted by using phosphate buffer-1M NaCl as elution medium. The successful separation of OVA with high purity from a mixture protein solution was also achieved by using the AEX membranes. The present study demonstrated that under mild reaction condition, RAFT polymerization can be used to fabricate ion-exchange membrane which has many remarkable features, such as high capacity and selectivity, easy elution and so on. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Efficiency of Polymeric Membrane Graphene Oxide-TiO2 for Removal of Azo Dye

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elahe Dadvar

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Achieving the desired standard of drinking water quality has been one of the concerns across water treatment plants in the developing countries. Processes such as grid chamber, coagulation, sedimentation, clarification, filtration, and disinfection are typically used in water purification plants. Among these methods, unit filtration which employs polymers is one of the new technologies. There have been many studies about the use of semiconductive TiO2 with graphene oxide (GO on the base of different polymeric membranes for the removal of azo dyes, especially methylene blue (MB. Polymeric GO-TiO2 membranes have high photocatalytic, antifouling property and permeate the flux removal of organic pollutants. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of different polymeric membranes such as anionic perfluorinated polymer (Nafion, cellulose acetate, polycarbonate (PC, polysulfone fluoride (PSF, and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF. The result of this study showed that the GO-TiO2 membrane can be used in the field of water treatment and will be used for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs from wastewater.

  19. Influence of Solutocapillary Convection on Macrovoid Defect Formation in Polymeric Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenberg, Alan R.; Krantz, William B.; Todd, Paul

    2003-01-01

    The focus of this research project involved the dry-cast process for polymeric membrane formation, whereby evaporation of solvent from an initially homogeneous polymer/solvent/ nonsolvent solution results in phase separation and the formation of polymer-rich and polymer-lean phases. Under certain conditions the polymer-lean phase gives rise to very large and usually undesirable, tear-drop-shaped pores (size approx. 10 - 50 microns) termed macrovoids (MVs). Although in many cases the presence of MV pores has deleterious effects on membrane performance, there are a number of innovative applications where the presence of such pores is highly desirable. Although researchers have proposed a variety of mechanisms for MV formation over the past three decades, two main hypotheses are currently favored: one asserts that MV growth can be attributed solely to diffusion (the diffusive growth hypothesis), whereas the other states that solutocapillary convection (the SC hypothesis) at the MV interface contributes to growth. The overall goal of this research was to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the fundamental mechanism of MV growth. This research incorporates a coupled modeling and experimental approach to test a solutocapillary convection hypothesis for the growth of macrovoid pores in polymeric membranes. Specifically, we utilized a modification of the first principles model developed by two of the PIs (ARG and WBK) for dry-cast CA membranes. For the experimental component, two separate and mutually complementary approaches were used to study MV growth. In the first, membranes cast in a zero-g environment aboard the NASA KC-135 aircraft were compared with those cast on the ground to assess the effect of the buoyancy force on membrane morphology and MV size and shape. In the second approach, videomicroscopy flow visualization (VMFV) was utilized to observe MV formation and growth in real time and to assess the effect of surface tension on the MV growth dynamics

  20. Use of marker ion and cationic surfactant plastic membrane electrode for potentiometric titration of cationic polyelectrolytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masadome, Takashi; Imato, Toshihiko

    2003-07-04

    A plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane electrode sensitive to stearyltrimethylammonium (STA) ion is applied to the determination of cationic polyelectrolytes such as poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (Cat-floc) by potentiometric titration, using a potassium poly (vinyl sulfate) (PVSK) solution as a titrant. The end-point of the titration is detected as the potential change of the plasticized PVC membrane electrode caused by decrease in the concentration of STA ion added to the sample solution as a marker ion due to the ion association reaction between the STA ion and PVSK. The effects of the concentration of STA ion, coexisting electrolytes in the sample solution and pH of the sample on the degree of the potential change at the end-point were examined. A linear relationship between the concentration of cationic polyelectrolyte and the end-point volume of the titrant exists in the concentration range from 2x10(-5) to 4x10(-4) N for Cat-floc, glycol chitosan, and methylglycol chitosan.

  1. Imidazolium-Based Polymeric Materials as Alkaline Anion-Exchange Fuel Cell Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayan, Sri R.; Yen, Shiao-Ping S.; Reddy, Prakash V.; Nair, Nanditha

    2012-01-01

    Polymer electrolyte membranes that conduct hydroxide ions have potential use in fuel cells. A variety of polystyrene-based quaternary ammonium hydroxides have been reported as anion exchange fuel cell membranes. However, the hydrolytic stability and conductivity of the commercially available membranes are not adequate to meet the requirements of fuel cell applications. When compared with commercially available membranes, polystyrene-imidazolium alkaline membrane electrolytes are more stable and more highly conducting. At the time of this reporting, this has been the first such usage for imidazolium-based polymeric materials for fuel cells. Imidazolium salts are known to be electrochemically stable over wide potential ranges. By controlling the relative ratio of imidazolium groups in polystyrene-imidazolium salts, their physiochemical properties could be modulated. Alkaline anion exchange membranes based on polystyrene-imidazolium hydroxide materials have been developed. The first step was to synthesize the poly(styrene-co-(1-((4-vinyl)methyl)-3- methylimidazolium) chloride through a free-radical polymerization. Casting of this material followed by in situ treatment of the membranes with sodium hydroxide solutions provided the corresponding hydroxide salts. Various ratios of the monomers 4-chloromoethylvinylbenzine (CMVB) and vinylbenzine (VB) provided various compositions of the polymer. The preferred material, due to the relative ease of casting the film, and its relatively low hygroscopic nature, was a 2:1 ratio of CMVB to VB. Testing confirmed that at room temperature, the new membranes outperformed commercially available membranes by a large margin. With fuel cells now in use at NASA and in transportation, and with defense potential, any improvement to fuel cell efficiency is a significant development.

  2. Tuning biomimetic membrane barrier properties by hydrocarbon, cholesterol and polymeric additives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Palanco, Marta Espina; Skovgaard, Nils; Hansen, Jesper Søndergaard

    2017-01-01

    The barrier properties of cellular membranes are increasingly attracting attention as a source of inspiration for designing biomimetic membranes. The broad range of potential technological applications makes the use of lipid and lately also polymeric materials a popular choice for constructing...... biomimetic membranes, where the barrier properties can be controlled by the composition of the membrane constituent elements. Here we investigate the membrane properties reported by the light-induced proton pumping activity of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) reconstituted in three vesicle systems of different...... membrane composition. Specifically we quantify how the resulting proton influx and efflux rates are influenced by the membrane composition using a variety of membrane modulators. We demonstrate that by adding hydrocarbons to vesicles with reconstituted bR formed from asolectin lipids the resulting...

  3. Surface modification of nanoporous alumina membranes by plasma polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Losic, Dusan; Cole, Martin A; Dollmann, Bjoern; Vasilev, Krasimir; Griesser, Hans J [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Adelaide, SA 5095 (Australia)], E-mail: dusan.losic@unisa.edu.au

    2008-06-18

    The deposition of plasma polymer coatings onto porous alumina (PA) membranes was investigated with the aim of adjusting the surface chemistry and the pore size of the membranes. PA membranes from commercial sources with a range of pore diameters (20, 100 and 200 nm) were used and modified by plasma polymerization using n-heptylamine (HA) monomer, which resulted in a chemically reactive polymer surface with amino groups. Heptylamine plasma polymer (HAPP) layers with a thickness less than the pore diameter do not span the pores but reduce their diameter. Accordingly, by adjusting the deposition time and thus the thickness of the plasma polymer coating, it is feasible to produce any desired pore diameter. The structural and chemical properties of modified membranes were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and x-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS). The resultant PA membranes with specific surface chemistry and controlled pore size are applicable for molecular separation, cell culture, bioreactors, biosensing, drug delivery, and engineering complex composite membranes.

  4. Surface modification of nanoporous alumina membranes by plasma polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Losic, Dusan; Cole, Martin A; Dollmann, Bjoern; Vasilev, Krasimir; Griesser, Hans J

    2008-01-01

    The deposition of plasma polymer coatings onto porous alumina (PA) membranes was investigated with the aim of adjusting the surface chemistry and the pore size of the membranes. PA membranes from commercial sources with a range of pore diameters (20, 100 and 200 nm) were used and modified by plasma polymerization using n-heptylamine (HA) monomer, which resulted in a chemically reactive polymer surface with amino groups. Heptylamine plasma polymer (HAPP) layers with a thickness less than the pore diameter do not span the pores but reduce their diameter. Accordingly, by adjusting the deposition time and thus the thickness of the plasma polymer coating, it is feasible to produce any desired pore diameter. The structural and chemical properties of modified membranes were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and x-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS). The resultant PA membranes with specific surface chemistry and controlled pore size are applicable for molecular separation, cell culture, bioreactors, biosensing, drug delivery, and engineering complex composite membranes

  5. Self-assembly of tissue spheroids on polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messina, Antonietta; Morelli, Sabrina; Forgacs, Gabor; Barbieri, Giuseppe; Drioli, Enrico; De Bartolo, Loredana

    2017-07-01

    In this study, multicellular tissue spheroids were fabricated on polymeric membranes in order to accelerate the fusion process and tissue formation. To this purpose, tissue spheroids composed of three different cell types, myoblasts, fibroblasts and neural cells, were formed and cultured on agarose and membranes of polycaprolactone (PCL) and chitosan (CHT). Membranes prepared by a phase-inversion technique display different physicochemical, mechanical and transport properties, which can affect the fusion process. The membranes accelerated the fusion process of a pair of spheroids with respect to the inert substrate. In this process, a critical role is played by the membrane properties, especially by their mechanical characteristics and oxygen and carbon dioxide mass transfer. The rate of fusion was quantified and found to be similar for fibroblast, myoblast and neural tissue spheroids on membranes, which completed the fusion within 3 days. These spheroids underwent faster fusion and maturation on PCL membrane than on agarose, the rate of fusion being proportional to the value of oxygen and carbon dioxide permeances and elastic characteristics. Consequently, tissue spheroids on the membranes expressed high biological activity in terms of oxygen uptake, making them more suitable as building blocks in the fabrication of tissues and organs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. In situ synthesis of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles in porous support membranes using high-viscosity polymerization solvents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renkecz, Tibor; László, Krisztina; Horváth, Viola

    2012-06-01

    There is a growing need in membrane separations for novel membrane materials providing selective retention. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are promising candidates for membrane functionalization. In this work, a novel approach is described to prepare composite membrane adsorbers incorporating molecularly imprinted microparticles or nanoparticles into commercially available macroporous filtration membranes. The polymerization is carried out in highly viscous polymerization solvents, and the particles are formed in situ in the pores of the support membrane. MIP particle composite membranes selective for terbutylazine were prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and N₂ porosimetry. By varying the polymerization solvent microparticles or nanoparticles with diameters ranging from several hundred nanometers to 1 µm could be embedded into the support. The permeability of the membranes was in the range of 1000 to 20,000 Lm⁻²  hr⁻¹  bar⁻¹. The imprinted composite membranes showed high MIP/NIP (nonimprinted polymer) selectivity for the template in organic media both in equilibrium-rebinding measurements and in filtration experiments. The solid phase extraction of a mixture of the template, its analogs, and a nonrelated compound demonstrated MIP/NIP selectivity and substance selectivity of the new molecularly imprinted membrane. The synthesis technique offers a potential for the cost-effective production of selective membrane adsorbers with high capacity and high throughput. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Method of preparing water purification membranes. [polymerization of allyl amine as thin films in plasma discharge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollahan, J. R.; Wydeven, T. J., Jr. (Inventor)

    1974-01-01

    Allyl amine and chemically related compounds are polymerized as thin films in the presence of a plasma discharge. The monomer compound can be polymerized by itself or in the presence of an additive gas to promote polymerization and act as a carrier. The polymerized films thus produced show outstanding advantages when used as reverse osmosis membranes.

  8. Enantioanalysis of S-deprenyl using enantioselective, potentiometric membrane electrodes based on C60 derivatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stefan-van Staden, Raluca-Ioana

    2010-01-01

    Enantioselective, potentiometric membrane electrodes based on (1,2-methanofullerene C 60 )-61-carboxylic acid, diethyl (1,2-methanofullerene C 60 )-61-61-dicarboxylate and tert-butyl (1,2-methanofullerene C 60 )-61-carboxylic acid were proposed for the enantioanalysis of S-deprenyl in pharmaceutical compounds. Molecular modeling calculations were performed to prove the reliability of the proposed electrodes. The different characteristics involved in this analysis were explained, namely (i) the stability of each molecule using total energy, hardness and dipole moment, and (ii) the explanation of the mechanism of interaction using intermolecular forces (moderate hydrogen bond interactions), atomic charges and electrostatic potential. Electronic structures as well as molecular interaction have been investigated using Hartree-Fock theory, 3-21G(*) basis set. Stability and feasibility of all the generated structures were supported by their respective energy minima and fundamental frequencies.

  9. Developing thin-film-composite forward osmosis membranes on the PES/SPSf substrate through interfacial polymerization

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Kaiyu; Chung, Tai Shung Neal; Amy, Gary L.

    2011-01-01

    A new scheme has been developed to fabricate high-performance forward osmosis (FO) membranes through the interfacial polymerization reaction on porous polymeric supports. p-Phenylenediamine and 1,3,5-trimesoylchloride were adopted as the monomers

  10. Modification of the poly(ethylene) terephthalate track membrane structure and surface in the plasma of non-polymerized gases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kravets, L.I.; Dmitriev, S.N.; Apel, P.Y.

    1999-01-01

    An investigation of the properties of poly(ethylene) terephthalate track membranes (PETTMs) treated with a plasma RF-discharge in non-polymerized gases has been performed. The influence of the plasma treatment conditions on the basic properties of the membranes has been studied. It was arranged that the effect of non-polymerized gases plasma on the PETTMs results to etching a membrane's surface layer. The membranes' pore size and the form in this case change. It is shown that it is possible to change the structure of track membranes directly by gas discharge etching

  11. Concentrated emulsion pathway to novel composite polymeric membranes and their use in pervaporation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruckenstein, E.; Sun, F. [State Univ. of New York, Buffalo, NY (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

    1995-10-01

    Pervaporation is becoming recognized as an energy-efficient alternative to distillation and other separation methods of liquid mixtures, especially in cases in which the traditional separation techniques are not efficient, such as the separation of azeotropic mixtures, close-boiling-point components, isomeric components, and recovery or removal of trace organic substances from aqueous solutions. Novel composite polymeric membranes have been prepared, using concentrated emulsions as precursors, and employed in the pervaporation of various liquid mixtures. In order to improve the stability of the concentrated emulsion, the hydrophilicity and/or the hydrophobicity of the phases involved must be increased by replacing them with their solutions in water and/or in a hydrocarbon, respectively. Another possibility of improving the stability is to increase the viscosity of the phases, by partial polymerization of one or both phases before preparing the concentrated emulsion. The emulsion gel was subsequently transformed into a polymer composite by polymerizing both phases. The dispersed phase should be selected to yield a hydrophobic (hydrophilic) polymer which is compatible with the components selected for separation and incompatible with the other components, while the continuous phase should be selected to yield a hydrophilic (hydrophobic) polymer which is incompatible with all of the components of the mixture, and thus it can ensure the integrity of the membrane. As examples, several composite polymeric membranes were designed, prepared, and employed in the separation by pervaporation of water-ethanol,aromatics-paraffinics, and aromatics-alcohol mixtures.

  12. Complexation-Induced Phase Separation: Preparation of Metal-Rich Polymeric Membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Villalobos Vazquez de la Parra, Luis Francisco

    2017-08-01

    The majority of state-of-the-art polymeric membranes for industrial or medical applications are fabricated by phase inversion. Complexation induced phase separation (CIPS)—a surprising variation of this well-known process—allows direct fabrication of hybrid membranes in existing facilities. In the CIPS process, a first step forms the thin metal-rich selective layer of the membrane, and a succeeding step the porous support. Precipitation of the selective layer takes place in the same solvent used to dissolve the polymer and is induced by a small concentration of metal ions. These ions form metal-coordination-based crosslinks leading to the formation of a solid skin floating on top of the liquid polymer film. A subsequent precipitation in a nonsolvent bath leads to the formation of the porous support structure. Forming the dense layer and porous support by different mechanisms while maintaining the simplicity of a phase inversion process, results in unprecedented control over the final structure of the membrane. The thickness and morphology of the dense layer as well as the porosity of the support can be controlled over a wide range by manipulating simple process parameters. CIPS facilitates control over (i) the thickness of the dense layer throughout several orders of magnitude—from less than 15 nm to more than 6 μm, (ii) the type and amount of metal ions loaded in the dense layer, (iii) the morphology of the membrane surface, and (iv) the porosity and structure of the support. The nature of the CIPS process facilitates a precise loading of a high concentration of metal ions that are located in only the top layer of the membrane. Moreover, these metal ions can be converted—during the membrane fabrication process—to nanoparticles or crystals. This simple method opens up fascinating possibilities for the fabrication of metal-rich polymeric membranes with a new set of properties. This dissertation describes the process in depth and explores promising

  13. Polymeric hollow fiber membranes for bioartificial organs and tissue engineering applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Diban-Ibrahim Gomez, Nazely; Stamatialis, Dimitrios

    2014-01-01

    Polymeric hollow fiber (HF) membranes are commercially available, i.e. microfiltration and ultrafiltration cartridges or reverse osmosis and gas separation modules, to be applied for separation purposes in industry, for instance to recover valuable raw materials or products, or for the treatment of

  14. Simple home-made sensors for potentiometric titrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Selig, W.

    1982-04-01

    A sensor for potentiometric titrations was prepared by coating a spectroscopic graphite rod with a solution of poly(vinyl chloride) and dioctyphthalate in tetrahydrofuran. The reference electrode was an Ag/AgCl single-junction electrode. The sensor was used in precipitation, acid-base, compleximetric, and redox titrations. Preparation of the coated-graphite sensor is simple and rapid. Moreover, it is quite inexpensive. A limitation is its applicability in aqueous media only, because organic solvents will dissolve the membrane. Various uncoated types of graphite have also been investigated as sensors, particularly in two applications of interest in the analysis of propellants: the titration of nitroform and perchlorate. Obviously, these sensors can be used also in nonaqueous, or partially nonaqueous media. These sensors may also find use in the potentiometric titration of fluoride vs La(III) or Th

  15. Determination of cobalt ions at nano-level based on newly synthesized pendant armed macrocycle by polymeric membrane and coated graphite electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Ashok K; Singh, Prerna; Bhattacharjee, G

    2009-12-15

    Poly(vinylchloride) (PVC) based membranes of macrocycles 2,3,4:9,10,11-dipyridine-1,3,5,8,10,12-hexaazacyclotetradeca-2,9-diene (L(1)) and 2,3,4:9,10,11-dipyridine-1,5,8,12-tetramethylacrylate-1,3,5,8,10,12-hexaazacyclotetradeca-2,9-diene (L(2)) with NaTPB and KTpClPB as anion excluders and dibutylphthalate (DBP), benzyl acetate (BA), dioctylphthalate (DOP), o-nitrophenyloctyl ether (o-NPOE) and tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) as plasticizing solvent mediators were prepared and investigated as Co(2+) selective electrodes. The best performance was observed with the membranes having the composition L(2):PVC:TBP:NaTPB in the ratio of 6:39:53:2 (w/w; mg). The performance of the membrane based on L(2) was compared with polymeric membrane electrode (PME) and coated graphite electrode (CGE). The PME exhibits detection limit of 4.7x10(-8)M with a Nernstian slope of 29.7 mV decade(-1) of activity between pH 2.5 and 8.5 whereas CGE exhibits the detection limit of 6.8x10(-9)M with a Nernstian slope of 29.5 mV decade(-1) of activity between pH 2.0 and 9.0. The response time for PME and CGE was found to be 11 and 8s, respectively. The CGE has been found to work satisfactorily in partially non-aqueous media up to 35% (v/v) content of methanol, ethanol and 25% (v/v) content of acetonitrile and could be used for a period of 4 months. The CGE was successfully applied for the determination of Co(2+) in real and pharmaceutical samples and as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of cobalt ion.

  16. Outer-selective pressure-retarded osmosis hollow fiber membranes from vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization for osmotic power generation

    KAUST Repository

    Sun, Shipeng; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, we report the technical breakthroughs to synthesize outer-selective thin-film composite (TFC) hollow fiber membranes, which is in an urgent need for osmotic power generation with the pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) process. In the first step, a defect-free thin-film composite membrane module is achieved by vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization. The PRO performance is further enhanced by optimizing the support in terms of pore size and mechanical strength and the TFC layer with polydopamine coating and molecular engineering of the interfacial polymerization solution. The newly developed membranes can stand over 20 bar with a peak power density of 7.63 W/m2, which is equivalent to 13.72 W/m2 of its inner-selective hollow fiber counterpart with the same module size, packing density, and fiber dimensions. The study may provide insightful guidelines for optimizing the interfacial polymerization procedures and scaling up of the outer-selective TFC hollow fiber membrane modules for PRO power generation. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

  17. Outer-selective pressure-retarded osmosis hollow fiber membranes from vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization for osmotic power generation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Shi-Peng; Chung, Tai-Shung

    2013-11-19

    In this paper, we report the technical breakthroughs to synthesize outer-selective thin-film composite (TFC) hollow fiber membranes, which is in an urgent need for osmotic power generation with the pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) process. In the first step, a defect-free thin-film composite membrane module is achieved by vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization. The PRO performance is further enhanced by optimizing the support in terms of pore size and mechanical strength and the TFC layer with polydopamine coating and molecular engineering of the interfacial polymerization solution. The newly developed membranes can stand over 20 bar with a peak power density of 7.63 W/m(2), which is equivalent to 13.72 W/m(2) of its inner-selective hollow fiber counterpart with the same module size, packing density, and fiber dimensions. The study may provide insightful guidelines for optimizing the interfacial polymerization procedures and scaling up of the outer-selective TFC hollow fiber membrane modules for PRO power generation.

  18. Outer-selective pressure-retarded osmosis hollow fiber membranes from vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization for osmotic power generation

    KAUST Repository

    Sun, Shipeng

    2013-11-19

    In this paper, we report the technical breakthroughs to synthesize outer-selective thin-film composite (TFC) hollow fiber membranes, which is in an urgent need for osmotic power generation with the pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) process. In the first step, a defect-free thin-film composite membrane module is achieved by vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization. The PRO performance is further enhanced by optimizing the support in terms of pore size and mechanical strength and the TFC layer with polydopamine coating and molecular engineering of the interfacial polymerization solution. The newly developed membranes can stand over 20 bar with a peak power density of 7.63 W/m2, which is equivalent to 13.72 W/m2 of its inner-selective hollow fiber counterpart with the same module size, packing density, and fiber dimensions. The study may provide insightful guidelines for optimizing the interfacial polymerization procedures and scaling up of the outer-selective TFC hollow fiber membrane modules for PRO power generation. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

  19. Potentiometric determination of moxifloxacin in some pharmaceutical formulation using PVC membrane sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hefnawy, Mohammed M; Homoda, Atef M; Abounassif, Mohammed A; Alanazi, Amer M; Al-Majed, Abdulrahaman; Mostafa, Gamal A

    2014-01-01

    The construction and electrochemical response characteristics of Poly (vinyl chloride) membrane sensors for moxifloxacin HCl (MOX) are described. The sensing membranes incorporate ion association complexes of moxifloxacin cation and sodium tetraphenyl borate (NaTPB) (sensor 1), phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) (sensor 2) or phosphotungstic acid (PTA) (sensor 3) as electroactive materials. The sensors display a fast, stable and near-Nernstian response over a relative wide moxifloxacin concentration range (1 × 10(-2) - 4.0 × 10(-6), 1 × 10(-2) - 5.0 × 10(-6), 1 × 10(-2) - 5.0 × 10(-6) M), with detection limits of 3 × 10(-6), 4 × 10(-6) and 4.0 × 10(-6) M for sensor 1, 2 and 3, respectively over a pH range of 6.0 - 9.0. The sensors show good discrimination of moxifloxacin from several inorganic and organic compounds. The direct determination of 400 μg/ml of moxifloxacin show an average recovery of 98.5, 99.1 and 98.6% and a mean relative standard deviation of 1.8, 1.6 and 1.8% for sensors 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The proposed sensors have been applied for direct determination of moxifloxacin in some pharmaceutical preparations. The results obtained by determination of moxifloxacin in tablets using the proposed sensors are comparable favorably with those obtained using the US Pharmacopeia method. The sensors have been used as indicator electrodes for potentiometric titration of moxifloxacin.

  20. Cell membrane-inspired polymeric micelles as carriers for drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Gongyan; Luo, Quanqing; Gao, Haiqi; Chen, Yuan; Wei, Xing; Dai, Hong; Zhang, Zongcai; Ji, Jian

    2015-03-01

    In cancer therapy, surface engineering of drug delivery systems plays an essential role in their colloidal stability, biocompatibility and prolonged blood circulation. Inspired by the cell membrane consisting of phospholipids and glycolipids, a zwitterionic phosphorylcholine functionalized chitosan oligosaccharide (PC-CSO) was first synthesized to mimic the hydrophilic head groups of those amphipathic lipids. Then hydrophobic stearic acid (SA) similar to lipid fatty acids was grafted onto PC-CSO to form amphiphilic PC-CSO-SA copolymers. Cell membrane-mimetic micelles with a zwitterionic surface and a hydrophobic SA core were prepared by the self-assembly of PC-CSO-SA copolymers, showing excellent stability under extreme conditions including protein containing media, high salt content or a wide pH range. Doxorubicin (DOX) was successfully entrapped into polymeric micelles through the hydrophobic interaction between DOX and SA segments. After fast internalization by cancer cells, sustained drug release from micelles to the cytoplasm and nucleus was achieved. This result suggests that these biomimetic polymeric micelles may be promising drug delivery systems in cancer therapy.

  1. A new concept in polymeric thin-film composite nanofiltration membranes with antibacterial properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mollahosseini, Arash; Rahimpour, Ahmad

    2013-01-01

    A new, thin film, biofouling resistant, nanofiltration (NF) membrane was fabricated with two key characteristics, viz. a low rate of silver (Ag) release and long-lasting antibacterial properties. In the new approach, nanoparticles were embedded completely in a polymeric thin-film layer. A comparison was made between the new thin-film composite (TFC), NF membrane and thin-film nanocomposite (TFN), and antibacterial NF membranes. Both types of NF membrane were fabricated by interfacial polymerization on a polysulphone sublayer using m-phenylenediamine and trimesoyl chloride as an amine monomer and an acid chloride monomer, respectively. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis demonstrated the presence of Ag nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to study the cross-sectional and surface morphological properties of the NF membranes. Permeability and salt rejection were tested using a dead-end filtration cell. Ag leaching from the membranes was measured using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Morphological studies showed that the TFC NF membranes had better thin-film formation (a more compact structure and a smoother surface) than TFN NF membranes. Performance experiments on TFC NF membranes revealed that permeability was good, without sacrificing salt rejection. The antibacterial properties of the fabricated membranes were tested using the disk diffusion method and viable plate counts. The antibiofouling properties of the membranes were examined by measuring the quantity of bacterial cells released from the biofilm formed (as a function of the amount of biofilm present). A more sensitive surface was observed compared to that of a typical antibacterial NF membrane. The Ag leaching rates were low, which will likely result in long-lasting antibacterial and biofouling resistant properties.

  2. Improved antifouling potential of polyether sulfone polymeric membrane containing silver nanoparticles: self-cleaning membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rana, Sidra; Nazar, Umair; Ali, Jafar; Ali, Qurat Ul Ain; Ahmad, Nasir M; Sarwar, Fiza; Waseem, Hassan; Jamil, Syed Umair Ullah

    2018-06-01

    A new strategy to enhance the antifouling potential of polyether sulfone (PES) membrane is presented. Chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were used to prepare a mixed-matrix PES membrane by the phase inversion technique. Primarily, AgNPs synthesis was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance at 410-430 nm using UV-Visible spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that AgNPs were crystalline with a diameter of 21 ± 2 nm. Furthermore, PES membranes were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to confirm the incorporation of AgNPs in membranes. Hydrophilicity of the membranes was enhanced, whereas roughness, mechanical strength and biofouling were relatively reduced after embedding the AgNPs. Antibacterial potential of AgNPs was evaluated for E. coli in the disc diffusion and colony-forming unit (CFU) count method. All of the membranes were assessed for antifouling activity by filtering a control dilution (10 6  CFU/ml) of E. coli and by counting CFU. Anti-biofouling activity of the membrane was observed with different concentrations of AgNPs. Maximum reduction (66%) was observed in membrane containing 1.5% of AgNPs. The addition of antibiotic ceftriaxone enhanced the antibacterial effect of AgNPs in PES membranes. Our practicable antifouling strategy may be applied to other polymeric membranes which may pave the new way to achieve sustainable and self-cleaning membrane reactors on large scale.

  3. Production efficiency of micellar casein concentrate using polymeric spiral-wound microfiltration membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beckman, S L; Zulewska, J; Newbold, M; Barbano, D M

    2010-10-01

    Most current research has focused on using ceramic microfiltration (MF) membranes for micellar casein concentrate production, but little research has focused on the use of polymeric spiral-wound (SW) MF membranes. A method for the production of a serum protein (SP)-reduced micellar casein concentrate using SW MF was compared with a ceramic MF membrane. Pasteurized (79°C, 18s) skim milk (1,100 kg) was microfiltered at 50°C [about 3 × concentration] using a 0.3-μm polyvinylidene fluoride spiral-wound membrane, bleed-and-feed, 3-stage process, using 2 diafiltration stages, where the retentate was diluted 1:2 with reverse osmosis water. Skim milk, permeate, and retentate were analyzed for SP content, and the reduction of SP from skim milk was determined. Theoretically, 68% of the SP content of skim milk can be removed using a single-stage 3× MF. If 2 subsequent water diafiltration stages are used, an additional 22% and 7% of the SP can be removed, respectively, giving a total SP removal of 97%. Removal of SP greater than 95% has been achieved using a 0.1-μm pore size ceramic uniform transmembrane pressure (UTP) MF membrane after a 3-stage MF with diafiltration process. One stage of MF plus 2 stages of diafiltration of 50°C skim milk using a polyvinylidene fluoride polymeric SW 0.3-μm membrane yielded a total SP reduction of only 70.3% (stages 1, 2, and 3: 38.6, 20.8, and 10.9%, respectively). The SP removal rate for the polymeric SW MF membrane was lower in all 3 stages of processing (stages 1, 2, and 3: 0.05, 0.04, and 0.03 kg/m(2) per hour, respectively) than that of the comparable ceramic UTP MF membrane (stages 1, 2, and 3: 0.30, 0.11, and 0.06 kg/m(2) per hour, respectively), indicating that SW MF is less efficient at removing SP from 50°C skim milk than the ceramic UTP system. To estimate the number of steps required for the SW system to reach 95% SP removal, the third-stage SP removal rate (27.4% of the starting material SP content) was used to

  4. A flexible, robust and antifouling asymmetric membrane based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers for high-efficiency separation of oil/water emulsions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kui; Yiming, Wubulikasimu; Saththasivam, Jayaprakash; Liu, Zhaoyang

    2017-07-06

    Polymeric and ceramic asymmetric membranes have dominated commercial membranes for water treatment. However, polymeric membranes are prone to becoming fouled, while ceramic membranes are mechanically fragile. Here, we report a novel concept to develop asymmetric membranes based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers, with the combined merits of good mechanical stability, excellent fouling resistance and high oil/water selectivity, in order to meet the stringent requirements for practical oil/water separation. The ultra-long dimensions of ceramic nanofibers/polymeric microfibers endow this novel membrane with mechanical flexibility and robustness, due to the integrated and intertwined structure. This membrane is capable of separating oil/water emulsions with high oil-separation efficiency (99.9%), thanks to its nanoporous selective layer made of ceramic nanofibers. Further, this membrane also displays superior antifouling properties due to its underwater superoleophobicity and ultra-low oil adhesion of the ceramic-based selective layer. This membrane exhibits high water permeation flux (6.8 × 10 4 L m -2 h -1 bar -1 ) at low operation pressures, which is attributed to its 3-dimensional (3D) interconnected fiber-based structure throughout the membrane. In addition, the facile fabrication process and inexpensive materials required for this membrane suggest its significant potential for industrial applications.

  5. Heparin-mimicking multilayer coating on polymeric membrane via LbL assembly of cyclodextrin-based supramolecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Jie; Liu, Xinyue; Ma, Lang; Cheng, Chong; Shi, Wenbin; Nie, Chuanxiong; Zhao, Changsheng

    2014-12-10

    In this study, multifunctional and heparin-mimicking star-shaped supramolecules-deposited 3D porous multilayer films with improved biocompatibility were fabricated via a layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly method on polymeric membrane substrates. Star-shaped heparin-mimicking polyanions (including poly(styrenesulfonate-co-sodium acrylate; Star-PSS-AANa) and poly(styrenesulfonate-co-poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate; Star-PSS-EGMA)) and polycations (poly(methyl chloride-quaternized 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate; Star-PMeDMA) were first synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) from β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) based cores. Then assembly of 3D porous multilayers onto polymeric membrane surfaces was carried out by alternating deposition of the polyanions and polycations via electrostatic interaction. The surface morphology and composition, water contact angle, blood activation, and thrombotic potential as well as cell viability for the coated heparin-mimicking films were systematically investigated. The results of surface ATR-FTIR spectra and XPS spectra verified successful deposition of the star-shaped supramolecules onto the biomedical membrane surfaces; scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations revealed that the modified substrate had 3D porous surface morphology, which might have a great biological influence on the biointerface. Furthermore, systematic in vitro investigation of protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, human platelet factor 4 (PF4, indicates platelet activation), activate partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), coagulation activation (thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT, indicates blood coagulant)), and blood-related complement activation (C3a and C5a, indicates inflammation potential) confirmed that the heparin-mimicking multilayer coated membranes exhibited ultralow blood component activations and excellent hemocompatibility. Meanwhile, after surface coating

  6. Polyion selective polymeric membrane-based pulstrode as a detector in flow-injection analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell-Vlasov, Andrea K; Zajda, Joanna; Eldourghamy, Ayman; Malinowska, Elzbieta; Meyerhoff, Mark E

    2014-04-15

    A method for the detection of polyions using fully reversible polyion selective polymeric membrane type pulstrodes as detectors in a flow-injection analysis (FIA) system is examined. The detection electrode consists of a plasticized polymeric membrane doped with 10 wt % of tridodecylmethylammonium-dinonylnaphthalene sulfonate (TDMA/DNNS) ion-exchanger salt. The pulse sequence used involves a short (1 s) galvanostatic pulse, an open-circuit pulse (0.5 s) during which the EMF of the cell is measured, and a longer (15 s) potentiostatic pulse to return the membrane to its original chemical composition. It is shown that total pulse sequence times can be optimized to yield reproducible real-time detection of injected samples of protamine and heparin at up to 20 samples/h. Further, it is shown that the same membrane detector can be employed for FIA detection of both polycations at levels ≥10 μg/mL and polyanions at levels of ≥40 μg/mL by changing the direction of the galvanostatic pulse. The methodology described may also be applicable in the detection of polyionic species at low levels in other flowing configurations, such as in liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis.

  7. Solid-state potentiometric biosensors for pH quantification in biological samples

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ivan, M.G.; Wiegersma, S.; Sweelssen, J.; Saalmink, M.; Boersma, A.

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports on manufacturing and characterization of an all-solid-state potentiometric sensor aimed at monitoring pH in dialysate or blood plasma for patients who undergo dialysis. The sensing polymer-based membrane, coated on top of the Au working electrodes, contains a polymer matrix -

  8. Inflation of a Polymeric Menbrane

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Susanne B.; Larsen, Johannes R.; Hassager, Ole

    1998-01-01

    We consider an axisymmetric polymeric membrane inflated by a uniform pressure difference acting across the membrane.......We consider an axisymmetric polymeric membrane inflated by a uniform pressure difference acting across the membrane....

  9. PVC membrane, coated-wire, and carbon-paste ion-selective electrodes for potentiometric determination of galantamine hydrobromide in physiological fluids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdel-Haleem, Fatehy M; Saad, Mohamed; Barhoum, Ahmed; Bechelany, Mikhael; Rizk, Mahmoud S

    2018-08-01

    We report on highly-sensitive ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) for potentiometric determining of galantamine hydrobromide (GB) in physiological fluids. Galantamine hydrobromide (GB) was selected for this study due to its previous medical importance for treating Alzheimer's disease. Three different types of ISEs were investigated: PVC membrane electrode (PVCE), carbon-paste electrode (CPE), and coated-wire electrode (CWE). In the construction of these electrodes, galantaminium-reineckate (GR) ion-pair was used as a sensing species for GB in solutions. The modified carbon-paste electrode (MCPE) was prepared using graphene oxide (MCPE-GO) and sodium tetrakis (trifluoromethyl) phenyl borate (MCPE-STFPB) as ion-exchanger. The potentiometric modified CPEs (MCPE-GO and MCPE-STFPB) show an improved performance in term of Nernstian slope, selectivity, response time, and response stability compared to the unmodified CPE. The prepared electrodes PVCE, CWE, CPE, MCPE-GO and MCPE-STFPB show Nernstian slopes of 59.9, 59.5, 58.1, 58.3 and 57.0 mV/conc. decade, and detection limits of 5.0 × 10 -6 , 6.3 × 10 -6 , 8.0 × 10 -6 , 6.0 × 10 -6 and 8.0 × 10 -6  mol L -1 , respectively. The prepared ISEs also show high selectivity against cations (i.e. Na + , K + , NH 4 + , Ca 2+ , Al 3+ , Fe 3+ ), amino acids (i.e. glycine, L-alanine alanine), and sugars (i.e. fructose, glucose, maltose, lactose). The prepared ISEs are applicable for determining GB in spiked serums, urines, and pharmaceutical preparations, using a standard addition and a direct potentiometric method. The fast response time (<10 s), long lifetime (1-5 weeks), reversibility and stability of the measured signals facilitate the application of these sensors for routine analysis of the real samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Covalent attachment of phospholipid analogous polymers to modify a polymeric membrane surface: a novel approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Zhi-Kang; Dai, Qing-Wen; Wu, Jian; Huang, Xiao-Jun; Yang, Qian

    2004-02-17

    A novel method for the surface modification of a microporous polypropylene membrane by tethering phospholipid analogous polymers (PAPs) is given, which includes the photoinduced graft polymerization of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and the ring-opening reaction of grafted poly-(DMAEMA) with 2-alkyloxy-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphospholanes. Five 2-alkyloxy-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphospholanes, containing octyloxy, dodecyloxy, tetradecyloxy, hexadecyloxy, and octadecyloxy groups in the molecular structure, were used to fabricate the PAP-modified polypropylene membranes. The attenuated total reflectance FT-IR spectra of the original, poly(DMAEMA)-grafted, and PAP-modified membranes confirmed the chemical changes on the membrane surface. Scanning electron microscope pictures showed that, compared with the original membrane, the surface porosities ofpoly(DMAEMA)-grafted and PAP-modified membranes were somewhat reduced. Water contact angles measured by the sessile drop method on PAP-modified membranes were slightly lower than that on the original polypropylene membrane, but higher than those on poly(DMAEMA)-grafted membranes with the exception of octyloxy-containing PAP-modified membranes. However, BSA adsorption experiments indicated that the five PAP-modified membranes had a much better protein-resistant property than the original polypropylene membrane and the poly(DMAEMA)-grafted membranes. For hexadecyloxy- and octadecyloxy-containing PAP-modified membranes, almost no protein adsorption was observed when the grafting degree was above 6 wt %. It was also found that the platelet adhesion was remarkably suppressed on the PAP-modified membranes. All these results demonstrate that the described approach is an effective way to improve the surface biocompatibility for polymeric membranes.

  11. Negatively charged polysulfone membranes with hydrophilicity and antifouling properties based on in situ cross-linked polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Lijing; Song, Haiming; Zhang, Dawei; Wang, Gang; Zeng, Zhixiang; Xue, Qunji

    2017-07-15

    Polysulfone (PSf) membrane has been widely used in water separation and purification, although, membrane fouling is still a serious problem limiting its potential. We aim to improve the antifouling of PSf membranes via a very simple and efficient method. In this work, antifouling PSf membranes were fabricated via in situ cross-linked polymerization coupled with non-solvent induced phase separation. In brief, acrylic acid (AA) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) were copolymerized in PSf solution, then directly casted into membranes without purification. With the increase of monomers concentration, the morphology of the as-cast membranes changed from a finger-like morphology to a fully sponge-like structure due to the increased viscosity and decreased precipitation rate of the polymer solutions. Meanwhile, the hydrophilicity and electronegativity of modified membranes were highly improved leading to inhibited protein adsorption and improved antifouling property. Furthermore, in order to further find out the different roles player by AA and VTESO, the modified membrane without VTEOS was prepared and characterized. The results indicated that AA is more effective in the membrane hydrophilicity improvement, VTEOS is more crucial to improve membrane stability. This work provides valuable guidance for fabricating PSf membranes with hydrophilicity and antifouling property via in situ cross-linked polymerization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Impact of PAC Fines in Fouling of Polymeric and Ceramic Low-Pressure Membranes for Drinking Water Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oligny, Laurent; Bérubé, Pierre R.; Barbeau, Benoit

    2016-01-01

    This study assessed the issue of membrane fouling in a Hybrid Membrane Process (HMP) due to the export of powdered activated carbon (PAC) fines from a pretreatment contactor. Two parallel pilot-scale ceramic and polymeric membranes were studied. Reversible and irreversible foulings were measured following three cleaning procedures: Physical backwashing (BW), chemically enhanced backwashing (CEB) and Clean-in-Place (CIP). The impacts on fouling of membrane type, operation flux increase and the presence/absence of the PAC pretreatment were investigated. Membranes without pretreatment were operated in parallel as a control. In addition, CIP washwaters samples were analyzed to measure organic and inorganic foulants removed from the membranes. It was observed that for the polymeric membranes, fouling generally increased with the presence of the PAC pretreatment because of the export of fines. On the contrary, the ceramic membranes were not significantly impacted by their presence. The analysis of CIP washwaters showed a greater total organic carbon (TOC) content on membranes with a PAC pretreatment while no similar conclusion could be made for inorganic foulants. PMID:27399788

  13. Impact of PAC Fines in Fouling of Polymeric and Ceramic Low-Pressure Membranes for Drinking Water Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oligny, Laurent; Bérubé, Pierre R; Barbeau, Benoit

    2016-07-07

    This study assessed the issue of membrane fouling in a Hybrid Membrane Process (HMP) due to the export of powdered activated carbon (PAC) fines from a pretreatment contactor. Two parallel pilot-scale ceramic and polymeric membranes were studied. Reversible and irreversible foulings were measured following three cleaning procedures: Physical backwashing (BW), chemically enhanced backwashing (CEB) and Clean-in-Place (CIP). The impacts on fouling of membrane type, operation flux increase and the presence/absence of the PAC pretreatment were investigated. Membranes without pretreatment were operated in parallel as a control. In addition, CIP washwaters samples were analyzed to measure organic and inorganic foulants removed from the membranes. It was observed that for the polymeric membranes, fouling generally increased with the presence of the PAC pretreatment because of the export of fines. On the contrary, the ceramic membranes were not significantly impacted by their presence. The analysis of CIP washwaters showed a greater total organic carbon (TOC) content on membranes with a PAC pretreatment while no similar conclusion could be made for inorganic foulants.

  14. Impact of PAC Fines in Fouling of Polymeric and Ceramic Low-Pressure Membranes for Drinking Water Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurent Oligny

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This study assessed the issue of membrane fouling in a Hybrid Membrane Process (HMP due to the export of powdered activated carbon (PAC fines from a pretreatment contactor. Two parallel pilot-scale ceramic and polymeric membranes were studied. Reversible and irreversible foulings were measured following three cleaning procedures: Physical backwashing (BW, chemically enhanced backwashing (CEB and Clean-in-Place (CIP. The impacts on fouling of membrane type, operation flux increase and the presence/absence of the PAC pretreatment were investigated. Membranes without pretreatment were operated in parallel as a control. In addition, CIP washwaters samples were analyzed to measure organic and inorganic foulants removed from the membranes. It was observed that for the polymeric membranes, fouling generally increased with the presence of the PAC pretreatment because of the export of fines. On the contrary, the ceramic membranes were not significantly impacted by their presence. The analysis of CIP washwaters showed a greater total organic carbon (TOC content on membranes with a PAC pretreatment while no similar conclusion could be made for inorganic foulants.

  15. Novel biomimetic composite material for potentiometric screening of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacramento, Ana S; Moreira, Felismina T C; Guerreiro, Joana L; Tavares, Ana P; Sales, M Goreti F

    2017-10-01

    This work describes a novel approach to produce an antibody-like biomimetic material. It includes preparing composite imprinted material never presented before, with highly conductive support nanostructures and assembling a high conductivity polymeric layer at low temperature. Overall, such highly conductive material may enhance the final features of electrically-based devices. Acetylcholine (ACh) was selected as target analyte, a neurotransmitter of importance in Alzheimer's disease. Potentiometric transduction was preferred, allowing quick responses and future adaptation to point-of-care requirements. The biomimetic material was obtained by bulk polymerization, where ACh was placed in a composite matrix of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and aniline (ANI). Subsequent polymerization, initiated by radical species, yielded a polymeric structure of polyaniline (PANI) acting as physical support of the composite. A non-imprinted material (NIM) having only PANI/MWCNT (without ACh) has been prepared for comparison of the biomimetic-imprinted material (BIM). RAMAN and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Transmission Electron microscopy (TEM), and Scanning Electron microscope (SEM) analysis characterized the structures of the materials. The ability of this biomaterial to rebind ACh was confirmed by including it as electroactive compound in a PVC/plasticizer mixture. The membranes with imprinted material and anionic additive presented the best analytical characteristics, with a sensitivity of 83.86mV decade -1 and limit of detection (LOD) of 3.45×10 -5 mol/L in HEPES buffer pH4.0. Good selectivity was observed against creatinine, creatine, glucose, cysteine and urea. The electrodes were also applied on synthetic serum samples and seemed a reliable tool for screening ACh in synthetic serum samples. The overall performance showed fast response, reusability, simplicity and low price. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Developing thin-film-composite forward osmosis membranes on the PES/SPSf substrate through interfacial polymerization

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Kaiyu

    2011-04-22

    A new scheme has been developed to fabricate high-performance forward osmosis (FO) membranes through the interfacial polymerization reaction on porous polymeric supports. p-Phenylenediamine and 1,3,5-trimesoylchloride were adopted as the monomers for the in-situ polycondensation reaction to form a thin aromatic polyamide selective layer of 150 nm in thickness on the substrate surface, a lab-made polyethersulfone (PES)/sulfonated polysulfone (SPSf)-alloyed porous membrane with enhanced hydrophilicity. Under FO tests, the FO membrane achieved a higher water flux of 69.8 LMH when against deionized water and 25.2 LMH when against a model 3.5 wt % NaCl solution under 5.0 M NaCl as the draw solution in the pressure-retarded osmosis mode. The PES/SPSf thin-film-composite (TFC)-FO membrane has a smaller structural parameter S of 238 μm than those reported data. The morphology and topology of substrates and TFC-FO membranes have been studied by means of atomic force microscopy and scanning electronic microscopy. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

  17. Deposition of polymeric perfluored thin films in proton ionic membranes by plasma processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Polak, Peter Lubomir; Mousinho, Ana Paula; Ordonez, Nelson; Silva Zambom, Luis da; Mansano, Ronaldo Domingues

    2007-01-01

    In this work the surfaces of polymeric membranes based on Nafion (proton conducting material), used in proton exchange membranes fuel cells (PEMFC) had been modified by plasma deposition of perfluored polymers, in order to improve its functioning in systems of energy generation (fuel cells). The deposition increases the chemical resistance of the proton ionic polymers without losing the electrical properties. The processing of the membranes also reduces the permeability of the membranes to the alcohols (methanol and ethanol), thus preventing poisoning of the fuel cell. The processing of the membranes of Nafion was carried through in a system of plasma deposition using a mixture of CF 4 and H 2 gases. The plasma processing was made mainly to increase the chemical resistance and result in hydrophobic surfaces. The Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) technique supplies a spectrum with information about the CF n bond formation. Through the Rutherford back scattering (RBS) technique it was possible to verify the deposition rate of the polymeric layer. The plasma process with composition of 60% of CF 4 and 40% of H 2 presented the best deposition rate. By the spectrum analysis for the optimized configuration, it was possible to verify that the film deposition occurred with a thickness of 90 nm, and fluorine concentration was nearly 30%. Voltammetry made possible to verify that the fluorination increases the membranes chemical resistance, improving the stability of Nafion, becoming an attractive process for construction of fuel cells

  18. Polymeric membranes modulate human keratinocyte differentiation in specific epidermal layers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salerno, Simona; Morelli, Sabrina; Giordano, Francesca; Gordano, Amalia; Bartolo, Loredana De

    2016-10-01

    In vitro models of human bioengineered skin substitutes are an alternative to animal experimentation for testing the effects and toxicity of drugs, cosmetics and pollutants. For the first time specific and distinct human epidermal strata were engineered by using membranes and keratinocytes. To this purpose, biodegradable membranes of chitosan (CHT), polycaprolactone (PCL) and a polymeric blend of CHT-PCL were prepared by phase-inversion technique and characterized in order to evaluate their morphological, physico-chemical and mechanical properties. The capability of membranes to modulate keratinocyte differentiation inducing specific interactions in epidermal membrane systems was investigated. The overall results demonstrated that the membrane properties strongly influence the cell morpho-functional behaviour of human keratinocytes, modulating their terminal differentiation, with the creation of specific epidermal strata or a fully proliferative epidermal multilayer system. In particular, human keratinocytes adhered on CHT and CHT-PCL membranes, forming the structure of the epidermal top layers, such as the corneum and granulosum strata, characterized by withdrawal or reduction from the cell cycle and cell proliferation. On the PCL membrane, keratinocytes developed an epidermal basal lamina, with high proliferating cells that stratified and migrated over time to form a complete differentiating epidermal multilayer system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Pharmacological aspects of release from microcapsules - from polymeric multilayers to lipid membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wuytens, Pieter; Parakhonskiy, Bogdan; Yashchenok, Alexey; Winterhalter, Mathias; Skirtach, Andre

    2014-10-01

    This review is devoted to pharmacological applications of principles of release from capsules to overcome the membrane barrier. Many of these principles were developed in the context of polymeric multilayer capsule membrane modulation, but they are also pertinent to liposomes, polymersomes, capsosomes, particles, emulsion-based carriers and other carriers. We look at these methods from the physical, chemical or biological driving mechanisms point of view. In addition to applicability for carriers in drug delivery, these release methods are significant for another area directly related to pharmacology - modulation of the permeability of the membranes and thus promoting the action of drugs. Emerging technologies, including ionic current monitoring through a lipid membrane on a nanopore, are also highlighted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Potentiometric urea biosensor based on an immobilised fullerene-urease bio-conjugate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saeedfar, Kasra; Heng, Lee Yook; Ling, Tan Ling; Rezayi, Majid

    2013-12-06

    A novel method for the rapid modification of fullerene for subsequent enzyme attachment to create a potentiometric biosensor is presented. Urease was immobilized onto the modified fullerene nanomaterial. The modified fullerene-immobilized urease (C60-urease) bioconjugate has been confirmed to catalyze the hydrolysis of urea in solution. The biomaterial was then deposited on a screen-printed electrode containing a non-plasticized poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PnBA) membrane entrapped with a hydrogen ionophore. This pH-selective membrane is intended to function as a potentiometric urea biosensor with the deposition of C60-urease on the PnBA membrane. Various parameters for fullerene modification and urease immobilization were investigated. The optimal pH and concentration of the phosphate buffer for the urea biosensor were 7.0 and 0.5 mM, respectively. The linear response range of the biosensor was from 2.31 × 10-3 M to 8.28 × 10-5 M. The biosensor's sensitivity was 59.67 ± 0.91 mV/decade, which is close to the theoretical value. Common cations such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and NH4+ showed no obvious interference with the urea biosensor's response. The use of a fullerene-urease bio-conjugate and an acrylic membrane with good adhesion prevented the leaching of urease enzyme and thus increased the stability of the urea biosensor for up to 140 days.

  1. Research in Water Permeability of Poly(ethylene) Terephthalate Track Membranes Modified by Polymerization of Dimethylaniline under the Action of Direct Current Discharge

    CERN Document Server

    Kravets, L I; Drachev, A I

    2004-01-01

    The properties of poly(ethylene) terephthalate track membranes modified by polymerization of dimethylaniline in a discharge of direct current are investigated. The influence of conditions of plasma treatment on the basic characteristics of the membranes (pore size, wettability, surface charge, water permeability) is studied. It is shown that under the action of discharge, a polymeric layer is formed on the membrane surface that can swell in solutions with low pH values. It has been found that the degree of the swelling stipulated by the conformation transfer of macromolecules of the deposited polymeric layer depends upon the size of relative magnification of the mass of the membrane during its plasma treatment. It is also shown that the obtained membranes can reversibly react to changing the pH of solution and applied pressure.

  2. Preparation of antifouling ultrafiltration membranes via irradiation induced graft polymerization technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng Bo; Liu Zhognying; Lu Xiaofeng; Li Jingye; Yang Xuanxuan; Yu Ming; Zhang Bowu

    2010-01-01

    PVDF powders were irradiated in air at dose of 15 kGy by using gamma-rays. Macromolecular peroxides transformed from free radicals in the irradiated PVDF powders in air can be preserved for long-term at appropriate temperature stably. By mixing acrylic monomers with irradiated PVDF powders then the graft polymerization can be initiated by heating. Then a series of hydrophilic ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were fabricated by dissolving the PVDF-g-PAAc powders in the NMP under phase inversion method. The antifouling performances of UF membranes cast from virgin and grafted PVDF powders were compared. (authors)

  3. Electrochemical evidences and consequences of significant differences in ions diffusion rate in polyacrylate-based ion-selective membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woźnica, Emilia; Mieczkowski, Józef; Michalska, Agata

    2011-11-21

    The origin and effect of surface accumulation of primary ions within the ion-selective poly(n-butyl acrylate)-based membrane, obtained by thermal polymerization, is discussed. Using a new method, based on the relation between the shape of a potentiometric plot and preconditioning time, the diffusion of copper ions in the membrane was found to be slow (the diffusion coefficient estimated to be close to 10(-11) cm(2) s(-1)), especially when compared to ion-exchanger counter ions--sodium cations diffusion (a diffusion coefficient above 10(-9) cm(2) s(-1)). The higher mobility of sodium ions than those of the copper-ionophore complex results in exposed ion-exchanger role leading to undesirably exposed sensitivity to sodium or potassium ions.

  4. Efficiency of serum protein removal from skim milk with ceramic and polymeric membranes at 50 degrees C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zulewska, J; Newbold, M; Barbano, D M

    2009-04-01

    Raw milk (2,710 kg) was separated at 4 degrees C, the skim milk was pasteurized (72 degrees C, 16 s), split into 3 batches, and microfiltered using pilot-scale ceramic uniform transmembrane pressure (UTP; Membralox model EP1940GL0.1microA, 0.1 microm alumina, Pall Corp., East Hills, NY), ceramic graded permeability (GP; Membralox model EP1940GL0.1microAGP1020, 0.1 microm alumina, Pall Corp.), and polymeric spiral-wound (SW; model FG7838-OS0x-S, 0.3 microm polyvinylidene fluoride, Parker-Hannifin, Process Advanced Filtration Division, Tell City, IN) membranes. There were differences in flux among ceramic UTP, ceramic GP, and polymeric SW microfiltration membranes (54.08, 71.79, and 16.21 kg/m2 per hour, respectively) when processing skim milk at 50 degrees C in a continuous bleed-and-feed 3x process. These differences in flux among the membranes would influence the amount of membrane surface area required to process a given volume of milk in a given time. Further work is needed to determine if these differences in flux are maintained over longer processing times. The true protein contents of the microfiltration permeates from UTP and GP membranes were higher than from SW membranes (0.57, 0.56, and 0.38%, respectively). Sodium-dodecyl-sulfate-PAGE gels for permeates revealed a higher casein proportion in GP and SW permeate than in UTP permeate, with the highest passage of casein through the GP membrane under the operational conditions used in this study. The slight cloudiness of the permeates produced using the GP and SW systems may have been due to the presence of a small amount of casein, which may present an obstacle in their use in applications when clarity is an important functional characteristic. More beta-lactoglobulin passed through the ceramic membranes than through the polymeric membrane. The efficiency of removal of serum proteins in a continuous bleed-and-feed 3x process at 50 degrees C was 64.40% for UTP, 61.04% for GP, and 38.62% for SW microfiltration

  5. Crown bridged thiacalix[4]arenes as cesium-selective ionophores in solvent polymeric membrane electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bereczki, Robert; Csokai, Viktor; Gruen, Alajos; Bitter, Istvan; Toth, Klara

    2006-01-01

    Novel 1,3-alternate thiacalix[4]mono- and biscrown-6 ethers were studied as ionophores in poly(vinyl chloride) membrane electrodes. Their selectivity behavior was characterized with respect to large number of cations, including potential interferents in environmental samples, and the membrane composition was optimized for cesium ion response. Among the ionophores, 1,3-alternate thiacalix[4]mono(crown-6) ether showed, especially high selectivity for cesium over other alkali-metal ions. Transition and heavy metal ions did not interfere seriously with the electrode response, which indicates that the bridging sulfur atoms do not take part in the ion recognition process. The potentiometric cesium responses of all electrodes involved in this study were found close to Nernstian and the detection limits were lower than 10 -7 M. The Cs + /Na + selectivity of the different ionophore-based sensors and the solvent extraction ability of the ligands were interpreted based on the respective constants of complex formation

  6. Preparation of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) Membrane on Porous Polymeric Support via Contra-Diffusion Method

    KAUST Repository

    Tan, Xiaoyu

    2016-05-18

    In the last decade, many attempts were made to put metal organic frameworks (MOFs) in industrial applications, but most of these efforts weren’t successfully. As one of the few MOFs produced on industrial scale, ZIF-8 has interesting pore size, huge internal surface area and great thermal and chemical stability. Therefore, ZIF-8 might become the first MOF, which will be applied in industrial separation processes. In this thesis, a synthesis study is presented, which leads to a cheap and convenient way to
fabricate defect-free and thin ZIF-8 membranes on porous polymeric supports showing high selectivity and high gas permeance. The ZIF-8 layers were produced via a contra-diffusion method. Several polymeric membranes were employed as support in this study, such as PAN, PEI, PSU, PA and PTSC. We studied the influence of the polymeric support properties for the ZIF-8 membrane preparation and optimized the ZIF-8 preparation conditions. The ZIF-8 membranes were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). For gas permeation test, we chose a Wicke-Kallenbach apparatus to measure membrane’s gas permeance and selectivity. One of the best ZIF-8 membranes exhibited a hydrogen permeance of 3.45 × 10-8 mol m-2 s-1 Pa-1 and
an ideal selectivity of hydrogen over propane of about 500.

  7. Ultrathin Polyamide Membranes Fabricated from Free-Standing Interfacial Polymerization: Synthesis, Modifications, and Post-treatment

    KAUST Repository

    Cui, Yue

    2016-12-21

    The thin film composite (TFC) membrane synthesized via interfacial polymerization is the workhorse of the prevalent membrane technologies such as nanofiltration (NF), reverse osmosis (RO), forward osmosis (FO), and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) membranes. The polyamide selective layer usually possesses a high selectivity and permeability, making it the heart of this membrane technology. To further improve and understand its formation, with entirely excluding the effect of substrate, an ultrathin membrane which consists of only the polyamide selective layer has been fabricated via free-standing interfacial polymerization between M-phenylenediamine (MPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) in this study. The influences of monomer concentration on polyamide layer formation is first examined. Different from previous studies which indicated that the variation of MPD concentration might affect the polyamide layer formation even when in excess, the MPD concentration when in excess does not affect membrane properties significantly, while increasing the TMC concentration gradually densifies the polyamide layer and enhances its transport resistance. Adding lithium bromide (LiBr) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in MPD solutions is found to facilitate the reaction between the two phases and result in a significant improvement in water permeability. However, a high amount of additives leads to an augmentation in transport resistance. The N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) treatment on the polyamide membrane shows pronounced improvements on water flux under FO tests and water permeability under RO tests without compromising reverse salt flux and salt rejection because the dense polyamide core stays intact. This study may offer a different perspective on membrane formation and intrinsic properties of the polyamide selective layer and provide useful insights for the development of next-generation TFC membranes.

  8. Polymeric Nanocomposite Membranes for Next Generation Pervaporation Process: Strategies, Challenges and Future Prospects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sagar Roy

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Pervaporation (PV has been considered as one of the most active and promising areas in membrane technologies in separating close boiling or azeotropic liquid mixtures, heat sensitive biomaterials, water or organics from its mixtures that are indispensable constituents for various important chemical and bio-separations. In the PV process, the membrane plays the most pivotal role and is of paramount importance in governing the overall efficiency. This article evaluates and collaborates the current research towards the development of next generation nanomaterials (NMs and embedded polymeric membranes with regard to its synthesis, fabrication and application strategies, challenges and future prospects.

  9. Polymeric Nanocomposite Membranes for Next Generation Pervaporation Process: Strategies, Challenges and Future Prospects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Sagar; Singha, Nayan Ranjan

    2017-09-08

    Pervaporation (PV) has been considered as one of the most active and promising areas in membrane technologies in separating close boiling or azeotropic liquid mixtures, heat sensitive biomaterials, water or organics from its mixtures that are indispensable constituents for various important chemical and bio-separations. In the PV process, the membrane plays the most pivotal role and is of paramount importance in governing the overall efficiency. This article evaluates and collaborates the current research towards the development of next generation nanomaterials (NMs) and embedded polymeric membranes with regard to its synthesis, fabrication and application strategies, challenges and future prospects.

  10. Tripodal (N-alkylated) CMP(O) and malonamide ligands: synthesis, extraction of metal ions, and potentiometric studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janczewski, D.; Reinhoudt, D.N.; Verboom, W.; Malinowska, E.; Pietrzak, M.; Hill, C.; Allignol, C.

    2007-01-01

    Tripodal ligands build on the C-pivot (9b-e, 13b-d, and 17a-d) and tri-alkyl-benzene platforms (10a,b, 11, 12, 14a,b, and 18a,b) bearing (N-alkylated) carbamoyl-methyl-phosphine oxide (CMPO), carbamoyl-methyl-phosphonate (CMP), and malonamide moieties were synthesized. Extraction studies with Am 3+ and Eu 3+ show that in general there is a positive influence of the N-alkyl substituents in C-pivot CMP(O) ligands on the D(distribution) coefficients. The tri-alkyl-benzene CMPO ligands 10a,b, 11, and 12 have considerably larger D coefficients than the corresponding C-pivot analogues 9a-e, although hardly having any selectivity, while N-alkylation gives rise to smaller D coefficients. Although less effective the extraction behavior of the C-pivot CMP analogues 13b-d shows more or less the same trend as the corresponding CMPO ligands 9b-e upon substitution of the carboxamide N-atom with different alkyl chains. The different malonamide ligands 17a-d and 18a,b are bad extractants, while N-alkylation makes them even worse. Potentiometric studies of CMP(O) and malonamide ligands in polymeric membranes on Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , and K + salts revealed that N-alkyl substituents increase the stability constants of ion-ionophore complexes compared to unsubstituted ligands. In polymeric membrane electrodes the ligands induce a selectivity pattern that differs significantly from the so-called Hofmeister series, giving the highest selectivity coefficients for UO 2 2+ among all examined cations (Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , K + ). (authors)

  11. Combinatorial screening of potentiometric Pb(II) sensors from polysulfoaminoanthraquinone solid ionophore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Mei-Rong; Ding, Yong-Bo; Li, Xin-Gui

    2014-03-10

    A potentiometric Pb(II)-selective sensor was fabricated by a combinatorial screening of electrically conducting polysulfoaminoanthraquinone (PSA) nanoparticles as a solid ionophore, ion exchangers (oleic acid (OA) and NaTPB), plasticizers in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix, membrane thickness, inner filling ion species, and concentration. The membrane sensor with the composition of PSA/PVC/DOP (dioctyl phthalate)/OA (1.0:33:61:5.0) exhibited the best performance, including a slope of 29.3 mV decade(-1) in the concentration range 10(-6.3)-10(-1.6) M, detection limit of 1.6 × 10(-7) M, response time of 16 s, lifetime of five months, and good response reversibility. The proposed sensor has demonstrated good selectivity for Pb(II) over other monovalent, divalent and trivalent interfering ions, and could be used in a pH range of 3.62-5.22. The Pb(II) sensor has been successfully applied for the determination of Pb(II) concentration in real-world samples and also as an indicator electrode for potentiometric titration of lead ions.

  12. Biofouling of reverse osmosis membranes: effects of cleaning on biofilm microbial communities, membrane performance, and adherence of extracellular polymeric substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Ashhab, Ashraf; Sweity, Amer; Bayramoglu, Bihter; Herzberg, Moshe; Gillor, Osnat

    2017-05-01

    Laboratory-scale reverse osmosis (RO) flat-sheet systems were used with two parallel flow cells, one treated with cleaning agents and a control (ie undisturbed). The cleaning efforts increased the affinity of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to the RO membrane and altered the biofilm surface structure. Analysis of the membrane biofilm community composition revealed the dominance of Proteobacteria. However, within the phylum Proteobacteria, γ-Proteobacteria dominated the cleaned membrane biofilm, while β-Proteobacteria dominated the control biofilm. The composition of the fungal phyla was also altered by cleaning, with enhancement of Ascomycota and suppression of Basidiomycota. The results suggest that repeated cleaning cycles select for microbial groups that strongly attach to the RO membrane surface by producing rigid and adhesive EPS that hampers membrane performance.

  13. Effect of polymer type on characterization and filtration performances of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-COOH-based polymeric mixed matrix membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sengur-Tasdemir, Reyhan; Mokkapati, Venkata R S S; Koseoglu-Imer, Derya Y; Koyuncu, Ismail

    2018-05-01

    Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) can be used for the fabrication of mixed matrix polymeric membranes that can enhance filtration perfomances of the membranes by modifying membrane surface properties. In this study, detailed characterization and filtration performances of MWCNTs functionalized with COOH group, blended into polymeric flat-sheet membranes were investigated using different polymer types. Morphological characterization was carried out using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and contact angle measurements. For filtration performance tests, protein, dextran, E. coli suspension, Xanthan Gum and real activated sludge solutions were used. Experimental data and analyses revealed that Polyethersulfone (PES) + MWCNT-COOH mixed matrix membranes have superior performance abilities compared to other tested membranes.

  14. Development of novel ion-exchange membranes for electrodialysis of seawater by electron-beam-induced graft polymerization (4). Polymeric structures of cation-exchange membranes based on nylon-6 film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyazawa, Tadashi; Asari, Yuki; Miyoshi, Kazuyoshi; Umeno, Daisuke; Saito, Kyoichi; Nagatani, Takeshi; Yoshikawa, Naohito; Motokawa, Ryuhei; Koizumi, Satoshi

    2010-01-01

    Cation-exchange membranes containing a sulfonic acid group were prepared by electron-beam-induced graft polymerization of sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS) onto a nylon-6 film with a thickness of 25 μm. The lamella sizes and lamella-to-lamella intervals of the resultant cation-exchange membranes (SSS membranes) were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), respectively. With increasing degrees of grafting, the lamella size decreased, whereas the lamella-to-lamella interval increased. This can be explained by that the poly-SSS chain grafted to the periphery of the lamella of nylon 6 partially destroys the lamella and invades the amorphous domain among the lamella. The SSS membrane with a degree of grafting of 150% exhibited a similar performance in the electrodialysis of 0.5 M sodium chloride as a current cation-exchange membrane and possessed the lamella sizes and lamella-to-lamella intervals of 7.6 and 13 nm, respectively. (author)

  15. Poly-thiosemicarbazide/gold nanoparticles catalytic membrane: In-situ growth of well-dispersed, uniform and stable gold nanoparticles in a polymeric membrane

    KAUST Repository

    Villalobos, Luis Francisco; Neelakanda, Pradeep; Karunakaran, Madhavan; Cha, Dong Kyu; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

    2014-01-01

    This work presents a method that achieves the highest loading, published so far, of non-agglomerated and well-distributed gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) inside a polymeric membrane. The method uses poly-thiosemicarbazide (PTSC) as the starting material

  16. Potentiometric Urea Biosensor Based on an Immobilised Fullerene-Urease Bio-Conjugate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kasra Saeedfar

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available A novel method for the rapid modification of fullerene for subsequent enzyme attachment to create a potentiometric biosensor is presented. Urease was immobilized onto the modified fullerene nanomaterial. The modified fullerene-immobilized urease (C60-urease bioconjugate has been confirmed to catalyze the hydrolysis of urea in solution. The biomaterial was then deposited on a screen-printed electrode containing a non-plasticized poly(n-butyl acrylate (PnBA membrane entrapped with a hydrogen ionophore. This pH-selective membrane is intended to function as a potentiometric urea biosensor with the deposition of C60-urease on the PnBA membrane. Various parameters for fullerene modification and urease immobilization were investigated. The optimal pH and concentration of the phosphate buffer for the urea biosensor were 7.0 and 0.5 mM, respectively. The linear response range of the biosensor was from 2.31 × 10−3 M to 8.28 × 10−5 M. The biosensor’s sensitivity was 59.67 ± 0.91 mV/decade, which is close to the theoretical value. Common cations such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and NH4+ showed no obvious interference with the urea biosensor’s response. The use of a fullerene-urease bio-conjugate and an acrylic membrane with good adhesion prevented the leaching of urease enzyme and thus increased the stability of the urea biosensor for up to 140 days.

  17. Enzyme-based Colorimetric and Potentiometric Biosensor for Detecting Pb (II Ions in Milk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hardeep Kaur

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present work was to study a simple colorimetric and potentiometric biosensor based on urease inhibition by Pb (II ions for its estimation in milk samples. Urease immobilized on nylon membrane by hydrosol gel method was used as the biocomponent to demonstrate the metal effect on the enzyme activity using phenol red as the pH indicator. A lower limit detection of 38.6µm was achieved in the milk and the enzyme membranes were stable for more than two months at 4ºC. In potentiometric approach, response of an ion selective electrode (ISE to changing ammonium ion concentration as a consequence of urease inhibition by Pb (II ions was explored to achieve a detection limit of 9.66 µm. Lead specificity was attained by means of masking agents 1,10 - phenanthroline and sodium potassium tartarate. Validation of the developed biosensors was carried out with spiked milk samples.

  18. Synthesis of robust and high-performance aquaporin-based biomimetic membranes by interfacial polymerization-membrane preparation and RO performance characterization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhao, Yang; Qiu, Changquan; Li, Xuesong

    2012-01-01

    -free ABMs that can be easily scaled up. In the current study, a thin film composite (TFC) ABM was prepared by the interfacial polymerization method, where AquaporinZ-containing proteoliposomes were added to the m-phenylene-diamine aqueous solution. Control membranes, either without aquaporins......Aquaporins are water channel proteins with excellent water permeability and solute rejection, which makes them promising for preparing high-performance biomimetic membranes. Despite the growing interest in aquaporin-based biomimetic membranes (ABMs), it is challenging to produce robust and defect...... or with inactive (mutant) aquaporins, were also similarly prepared. The separation performance of these membranes was evaluated by cross-flow reverse osmosis (RO) tests. Compared to the controls, the active ABM achieved significantly higher water permeability (∼4L/m2hbar) with comparable NaCl rejection (∼97...

  19. SORPTION, DIFFUSION AND PERMEATION OF 1,1,1- TRICHLOROETHANE THROUGH ADSORBENT-FILLED POLYMERIC MEMBRANES

    Science.gov (United States)

    Addition of hydrophobic absorbents such as activated carbon into polymeric mebranes increased the sorption capacity for 1,1,1-trichloroethane premeability of the mebranes used in the Pervaporation mode. Water permeability also increased for all filled membranes due to increased w...

  20. Improved PVDF membrane performance by doping extracellular polymeric substances of activated sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Yan-Fang; Huang, Bao-Cheng; Qian, Chen; Wang, Long-Fei; Yu, Han-Qing

    2017-04-15

    Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane has been widely applied in water and wastewater treatment because of its high mechanical strength, thermal stability and chemical resistance. However, the hydrophobic nature of PVDF membrane makes it readily fouled, substantially reducing water flux and overall membrane rejection ability. In this work, an in-situ blending modifier, i.e., extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from activated sludge, was used to enhance the anti-fouling ability of PVDF membrane. Results indicate that the pure water flux of the membrane and its anti-fouling performance were substantially improved by blending 8% EPS into the membrane. By introducing EPS, the membrane hydrophilicity was increased and the cross section morphology was changed when it interacted with polyvinl pyrrolidone, resulting in the formation of large cavities below the finger-like pores. In addition, the fraction of pores with a size of 100-500 nm increased, which was also beneficial to improving membrane performance. Surface thermodynamic calculations indicate the EPS-functionalized membrane had a higher cohesion free energy, implying its good pollutant rejection and anti-fouling ability. This work provides a simple, efficient and cost-effective method to improve membrane performance and also extends the applications of EPS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Highly sensitive covalently functionalized light-addressable potentiometric sensor for determination of biomarker

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liang, Jintao [School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541004 (China); Guangxi Experiment Center of Information Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541004 (China); Guan, Mingyuan; Huang, Guoyin; Qiu, Hengming; Chen, Zhengcheng [School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541004 (China); Li, Guiyin, E-mail: liguiyin01@163.com [School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541004 (China); Guangxi Experiment Center of Information Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541004 (China); Huang, Yong, E-mail: huangyong503@126.com [School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541004 (China); Guangxi Experiment Center of Information Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541004 (China)

    2016-06-01

    A biomarker is related to the biological status of a living organism and shows great promise for the early prediction of a related disease. Herein we presented a novel structured light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) for the determination of a model biomarker, human immunoglobulin G (hIgG). In this system, the goat anti-human immunoglobulin G antibody was used as recognition element and covalently immobilized on the surface of light-addressable potentiometric sensor chip to capture human immunoglobulin G. Due to the light addressable capability of light-addressable potentiometric sensor, human immunoglobulin G dissolved in the supporting electrolyte solution can be detected by monitoring the potential shifts of the sensor. In order to produce a stable photocurrent, the laser diode controlled by field-programmable gate array was used as the light emitter to drive the light-addressable potentiometric sensor. A linear correlation between the potential shift response and the concentration of human immunoglobulin G was achieved and the corresponding regression equation was ΔV (V) = 0.00714C{sub hIgG} (μg/mL)–0.0147 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9968 over a range 0–150 μg/mL. Moreover, the light-addressable potentiometric sensor system also showed acceptable stability and reproducibility. All the results demonstrated that the system was more applicable to detection of disease biomarkers with simple operation, multiple-sample format and might hold great promise in various environmental, food, and clinical applications. - Highlights: • A novel structured light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) based on covalently functionalized membrane was designed. • The composition of the surface of LAPS chip was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). • hIgG dissolved in the supporting electrolyte solution can be detected by monitoring the potential shifts of LAPS.

  2. The use of radiation-induced graft polymerization for modification of polymer track membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shtanko, N.I.; Kabanov, V.Ya.; Apel, P.Yu.; Yoshida, M.

    1999-01-01

    Track membranes (TM) made of poly(ethylene terephtalate) (PET) and polypropylene (PP) films have a number of peculiarities as compared with other ones. They have high mechanical strength at a low thickness, narrow pore size distribution, low content of extractables. However, TM have some disadvantages such as low chemical resistance in alkaline media (PET TM), the low water flow rate due to the hydrophobic nature of their surface. The use of radiation-induced graft polymerization makes it possible to improve the basic characteristics of TM. In this communication our results on the modification of PET and PP TM are presented. The modified membranes were prepared by radiation-induced graft polymerization from the liquid phase. Three methods of grafting were used: (a) the direct method in argon atmosphere; (b) the pre-irradiation of TM in air followed by grafting in argon atmosphere; (c) pre-irradiation in vacuum followed by grafting in vacuum without contacting oxygen. The aim of the work was to investigate some properties of TM modified by grafted poly(methylvinyl pyridine) (PMVP) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAM). It was shown that the modification of TM with hydrophilic polymer results in the growth of the water flow rate. In the past few years many works have been devoted to the synthesis of new polymers - the so-called 'intelligent' materials - such as PNIPAAM. However, it is very difficult to make thin membranes of this polymer. Recently, it has been proposed to manufacture composite membranes by grafting stimulus-responsive polymers onto TM. Following this principle, we prepared thermosensitive membranes by the radiation-induced graft polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM) onto PET TM. PET TM with the pore size of about 1 μm and pore density of 10 6 cm -2 were first inserted into a solution of NIPAAM containing inhibitor of homopolymerization (CuCl 2 ) and then exposed to the γ-rays from a 60 Co source. The transport properties of the

  3. The use of radiation-induced graft polymerization for modification of polymer track membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shtanko, N. I.; Kabanov, V. Ya.; Apel, P. Yu.; Yoshida, M.

    1999-05-01

    Track membranes (TM) made of poly(ethylene terephtalate) (PET) and polypropylene (PP) films have a number of peculiarities as compared with other ones. They have high mechanical strength at a low thickness, narrow pore size distribution, low content of extractables. However, TM have some disadvantages such as low chemical resistance in alkaline media (PET TM), the low water flow rate due to the hydrophobic nature of their surface. The use of radiation-induced graft polymerization makes it possible to improve the basic characteristics of TM. In this communication our results on the modification of PET and PP TM are presented. The modified membranes were prepared by radiation-induced graft polymerization from the liquid phase. Three methods of grafting were used: (a) the direct method in argon atmosphere; (b) the pre-irradiation of TM in air followed by grafting in argon atmosphere; (c) pre-irradiation in vacuum followed by grafting in vacuum without contacting oxygen. The aim of the work was to investigate some properties of TM modified by grafted poly(methylvinyl pyridine) (PMVP) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAM). It was shown that the modification of TM with hydrophilic polymer results in the growth of the water flow rate. In the past few years many works have been devoted to the synthesis of new polymers - the so-called "intelligent" materials - such as PNIPAAM. However, it is very difficult to make thin membranes of this polymer. Recently, it has been proposed to manufacture composite membranes by grafting stimulus-responsive polymers onto TM. Following this principle, we prepared thermosensitive membranes by the radiation-induced graft polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM) onto PET TM. PET TM with the pore size of about 1 μm and pore density of 10 6 cm -2 were first inserted into a solution of NIPAAM containing inhibitor of homopolymerization (CuCl 2) and then exposed to the γ-rays from a 60Co source. The transport properties of the grafted

  4. Simultaneous AuIII Extraction and In Situ Formation of Polymeric Membrane-Supported Au Nanoparticles: A Sustainable Process with Application in Catalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mora-Tamez, Lucía; Esquivel-Peña, Vicente; Ocampo, Ana L; Rodríguez de San Miguel, Eduardo; Grande, Daniel; de Gyves, Josefina

    2017-04-10

    A polymeric membrane-supported catalyst with immobilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was prepared through the extraction and in situ reduction of Au III salts in a one-step strategy. Polymeric inclusion membranes (PIMs) and polymeric nanoporous membranes (PNMs) were tested as different membrane-support systems. Transport experiments indicated that PIMs composed of cellulose triacetate, 2-nitrophenyloctyl ether, and an aliphatic tertiary amine (Adogen 364 or Alamine 336) were the most efficient supports for Au III extraction. The simultaneous extraction and reduction processes were proven to be the result of a synergic phenomenon in which all the membrane components were involved. Scanning electron microscopy characterization of cross-sectional samples suggested a distribution of AuNPs throughout the membrane. Transmission electron microscopy characterization of the AuNPs indicated average particle sizes of 36.7 and 2.9 nm for the PIMs and PNMs, respectively. AuNPs supported on PIMs allowed for >95.4 % reduction of a 0.05 mmol L -1 4-nitrophenol aqueous solution with 10 mmol L -1 NaBH 4 solution within 25 min. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. The relevance of polymeric synthetic membranes in topical formulation assessment and drug diffusion study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Shiow-Fern; Rouse, Jennifer J; Sanderson, Francis D; Eccleston, Gillian M

    2012-03-01

    Synthetic membranes are composed of thin sheets of polymeric macromolecules that can control the passage of components through them. Generally, synthetic membranes used in drug diffusion studies have one of two functions: skin simulation or quality control. Synthetic membranes for skin simulation, such as the silicone-based membranes polydimethylsiloxane and Carbosil, are generally hydrophobic and rate limiting, imitating the stratum corneum. In contrast, synthetic membranes for quality control, such as cellulose esters and polysulfone, are required to act as a support rather than a barrier. These synthetic membranes also often contain pores; hence, they are called porous membranes. The significance of Franz diffusion studies and synthetic membranes in quality control studies involves an understanding of the fundamentals of synthetic membranes. This article provides a general overview of synthetic membranes, including a brief background of the history and the common applications of synthetic membranes. This review then explores the types of synthetic membranes, the transport mechanisms across them, and their relevance in choosing a synthetic membrane in Franz diffusion cell studies for formulation assessment purposes.

  6. Dynamic Membrane Formation in Anaerobic Dynamic Membrane Bioreactors: Role of Extracellular Polymeric Substances.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongguang Yu

    Full Text Available Dynamic membrane (DM formation in dynamic membrane bioreactors plays an important role in achieving efficient solid-liquid separation. In order to study the contribution of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS to DM formation in anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor (AnDMBR processes, EPS extraction from and re-addition to bulk sludge were carried out in short-term filtration tests. DM formation behaviors could be well simulated by cake filtration model, and sludge with EPS re-addition showed the highest resistance coefficient, followed by sludge after EPS extraction. The DM layers exhibited a higher resistance and a lower porosity for the sludge sample after EPS extraction and for the sludge with EPS re-addition. Particle size of sludge flocs decreased after EPS extraction, and changed little with EPS re-addition, which was confirmed by interaction energy analysis. Further investigations by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM analysis and batch tests suggested that the removal of in-situ EPS stimulated release of soluble EPS, and re-added EPS were present as soluble EPS rather than bound EPS, which thus improved the formation of DM. The present work revealed the role of EPS in anaerobic DM formation, and could facilitate the operation of AnDMBR processes.

  7. Fluorescent sensor systems based on nanostructured polymeric membranes for selective recognition of Aflatoxin B1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sergeyeva, Tetyana; Yarynka, Daria; Piletska, Elena; Lynnik, Rostyslav; Zaporozhets, Olga; Brovko, Oleksandr; Piletsky, Sergey; El'skaya, Anna

    2017-12-01

    Nanostructured polymeric membranes for selective recognition of aflatoxin B1 were synthesized in situ and used as highly sensitive recognition elements in the developed fluorescent sensor. Artificial binding sites capable of selective recognition of aflatoxin B1 were formed in the structure of the polymeric membranes using the method of molecular imprinting. A composition of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) membranes was optimized using the method of computational modeling. The MIP membranes were synthesized using the non-toxic close structural analogue of aflatoxin B1, ethyl-2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate as a dummy template. The MIP membranes with the optimized composition demonstrated extremely high selectivity towards aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Negligible binding of close structural analogues of AFB1 - aflatoxins B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G2 (AFG2), and ochratoxin A (OTA) was demonstrated. Binding of AFB1 by the MIP membranes was investigated as a function of both type and concentration of the functional monomer in the initial monomer composition used for the membranes' synthesis, as well as sample composition. The conditions of the solid-phase extraction of the mycotoxin using the MIP membrane as a stationary phase (pH, ionic strength, buffer concentration, volume of the solution, ratio between water and organic solvent, filtration rate) were optimized. The fluorescent sensor system based on the optimized MIP membranes provided a possibility of AFB1 detection within the range 14-500ngmL -1 demonstrating detection limit (3Ϭ) of 14ngmL -1 . The developed technique was successfully applied for the analysis of model solutions and waste waters from bread-making plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. A facile method to align carbon nanotubes on polymeric membrane substrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Haiyang; Zhou, Zhijun; Dong, Hang; Zhang, Lin; Chen, Huanlin; Hou, Lian

    2013-01-01

    The alignment of carbon nanotubes (CNT) is the fundamental requirement to ensure their excellent functions but seems to be desolated in recent years. A facile method, hot-press combined with peel-off (HPPO), is introduced here, through which CNT can be successfully vertically aligned on the polymeric membrane substrate. Shear force and mechanical stretch are proposed to be the main forces to align the tubes perpendicular to the substrate surface during the peel-off process. The alignment of CNT keeps its orientation in a thin hybrid membrane by dip-coating cellulose acetate dope solution. It is expected that the stable alignment of CNT by HPPO would contribute to the realization of its potential applications. PMID:24326297

  9. Improved Performance of the Potentiometric Biosensor for the Determination of Creatinine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Jens Enevold Thaulov; Rasmussen, Claus/Dallerup; Zachau-Christiansen, Birgit

    2007-01-01

    The development of potentiometric biosensors for the determination of creatinine is attractive because it is a frequently analysed species in clinical chemistry. Contemporary methods of analysing creatinine engage chemicals harmful to the environment and generate large volumes of waste disposals....... By introducing a membrane-based potentiometric biosensor with immobilised creatinine deaminase, the measurements can be performed by miniaturised portable devices that are easy to handle and allow rapid analysis at a minimum consumption of chemicals. Thus, the enzymatic creatinine biosensors was revisited...... performed by flow injection analysis (FIA) showed that the response time could be lowered to approx. 30 sec. using sample volumes of 30 L. Interferences were corrected for by application of the Nicolsky-Eisenman equation thus allowing determination of creatinine in matrices resembling those of clinical...

  10. Structural characterization of hexadecyltrimethylammonium-smectite composites and their potentiometric electrode applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cubuk, Osman [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Erzincan University, 24100 Erzincan (Turkey); Caglar, Bulent, E-mail: bcaglar55@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Erzincan University, 24100 Erzincan (Turkey); Topcu, Cihan; Coldur, Fatih; Sarp, Gokhan [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Erzincan University, 24100 Erzincan (Turkey); Tabak, Ahmet [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, 53100 Rize (Turkey); Sahin, Erdal [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Erzincan University, 24100 Erzincan (Turkey)

    2015-05-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Surfactant cations intercalated with different molecular arrangements into smectite layers. • The electrophoretic mobility values indicate that excess surfactant loadings also create positive charges on the organosmectites surfaces. • A novel potentiometric SCN{sup −} selective electrode was fabricated based on modified smectite. - Abstract: Organosmectites were prepared by the intercalation of hexadecyltrimethylammonium cations at various ratios into interlayer of Unye smectite. Structural, thermal, morphological and textural properties of the synthesized organosmectites were characterized. Afterwards, a novel potentiometric PVC-membrane thiocyanate selective electrode was prepared based on the obtained hexadecyltrimethylammonium modified smectites as electroactive material. The basal spacing values of organosmectites were observed in the range of 15.61 and 35.50 Å. Powder X-ray diffraction data show that the surfactant cations penetrated into the smectite layers with different molecular arrangements. Modification of smectite with hexadecyltrimethylammonium led to appreciable decreases in the intensities of the FTIR bands at 3402 and 1635 cm{sup −1} and the new characteristic vibrational bands at 2927, 2850, 1472 and 722 cm{sup −1} originating from the surfactant molecules appeared. The thermal analysis data showed that the decomposition of surfactant species occurred in the temperature range of 170–720 °C and the amount of dehydrated water gradually decreased with the increase in surfactant amount. The intercalation of surfactant species within the gallery spacing led gradually to smaller surface areas. In addition, the electrophoretic mobility values indicate that excess surfactant loadings also generate positive charges on the organosmectite surfaces. The most convenient membrane composition resulting in the best potentiometric performance was investigated. The optimum membrane composition was determined to

  11. Novel Prostate Specific Antigen plastic antibody designed with charged binding sites for an improved protein binding and its application in a biosensor of potentiometric transduction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rebelo, Tânia S.C.R.; Santos, C.; Costa-Rodrigues, J.; Fernandes, M.H.; Noronha, João P.; Sales, M. Goreti F.

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: EF13-201, Novel Prostate Specific Antigen plastic antibody designed with charged binding sites for an improved protein binding and its application in a biosensor of potentiometric transduction. - Abstract: This work shows that the synthesis of protein plastic antibodies tailored with selected charged monomers around the binding site enhances protein binding. These charged receptor sites are placed over a neutral polymeric matrix, thus inducing a suitable orientation the protein reception to its site. This is confirmed by preparing control materials with neutral monomers and also with non-imprinted template. This concept has been applied here to Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), the protein of choice for screening prostate cancer throughout the population, with serum levels >10 ng/mL pointing out a high probability of associated cancer. Protein Imprinted Materials with charged binding sites (C/PIM) have been produced by surface imprinting over graphene layers to which the protein was first covalently attached. Vinylbenzyl(trimethylammonium chloride) and vinyl benzoate were introduced as charged monomers labelling the binding site and were allowed to self-organize around the protein. The subsequent polymerization was made by radical polymerization of vinylbenzene. Neutral PIM (N/PIM) prepared without oriented charges and non imprinted materials (NIM) obtained without template were used as controls. These materials were used to develop simple and inexpensive potentiometric sensor for PSA. They were included as ionophores in plasticized PVC membranes, and tested over electrodes of solid or liquid conductive contacts, made of conductive carbon over a syringe or of inner reference solution over micropipette tips. The electrodes with charged monomers showed a more stable and sensitive response, with an average slope of -44.2 mV/decade and a detection limit of 5.8 × 10 −11 mol/L (2 ng/mL). The corresponding non-imprinted sensors showed lower

  12. [Computer modeling the hydrostatic pressure characteristics of the membrane potential for polymeric membrane, separated non-homogeneous electrolyte solutions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slezak, Izabella H; Jasik-Slezak, Jolanta; Rogal, Mirosława; Slezak, Andrzej

    2006-01-01

    On the basis of model equation depending the membrane potential deltapsis, on mechanical pressure difference (deltaP), concentration polarization coefficient (zetas), concentration Rayleigh number (RC) and ratio concentration of solutions separated by membrane (Ch/Cl), the characteristics deltapsis = f(deltaP)zetas,RC,Ch/Cl for steady values of zetas, RC and Ch/Cl in single-membrane system were calculated. In this system neutral and isotropic polymeric membrane oriented in horizontal plane, the non-homogeneous binary electrolytic solutions of various concentrations were separated. Nonhomogeneity of solutions is results from creations of the concentration boundary layers on both sides of the membrane. Calculations were made for the case where on a one side of the membrane aqueous solution of NaCl at steady concentration 10(-3) mol x l(-1) (Cl) was placed and on the other aqueous solutions of NaCl at concentrations from 10(-3) mol x l(-1) to 2 x 10(-2) mol x l(-1) (Ch). Their densities were greater than NaCl solution's at 10(-3) mol x l(-1). It was shown that membrane potential depends on hydrodynamic state of a complex concentration boundary layer-membrane-concentration boundary layer, what is controlled by deltaP, Ch/Cl, RC and zetas.

  13. Tripodal (N-alkylated) CMP(O) and malonamide ligands: synthesis, extraction of metal ions, and potentiometric studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Janczewski, D.; Reinhoudt, D.N.; Verboom, W. [Twente Univ., Lab. of Supramolecular Chemistry and Technology, Mesa Research Institute for Nanotechnology, Enschede (Netherlands); Malinowska, E.; Pietrzak, M. [Warsaw Univ. of Technology, Dept. of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry (Poland); Hill, C.; Allignol, C. [CEA Valrho, 30 - Marcoule (France)

    2007-01-15

    Tripodal ligands build on the C-pivot (9b-e, 13b-d, and 17a-d) and tri-alkyl-benzene platforms (10a,b, 11, 12, 14a,b, and 18a,b) bearing (N-alkylated) carbamoyl-methyl-phosphine oxide (CMPO), carbamoyl-methyl-phosphonate (CMP), and malonamide moieties were synthesized. Extraction studies with Am{sup 3+} and Eu{sup 3+} show that in general there is a positive influence of the N-alkyl substituents in C-pivot CMP(O) ligands on the D(distribution) coefficients. The tri-alkyl-benzene CMPO ligands 10a,b, 11, and 12 have considerably larger D coefficients than the corresponding C-pivot analogues 9a-e, although hardly having any selectivity, while N-alkylation gives rise to smaller D coefficients. Although less effective the extraction behavior of the C-pivot CMP analogues 13b-d shows more or less the same trend as the corresponding CMPO ligands 9b-e upon substitution of the carboxamide N-atom with different alkyl chains. The different malonamide ligands 17a-d and 18a,b are bad extractants, while N-alkylation makes them even worse. Potentiometric studies of CMP(O) and malonamide ligands in polymeric membranes on Pb{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Ca{sup 2+}, Mg{sup 2+}, Na{sup +}, and K{sup +} salts revealed that N-alkyl substituents increase the stability constants of ion-ionophore complexes compared to unsubstituted ligands. In polymeric membrane electrodes the ligands induce a selectivity pattern that differs significantly from the so-called Hofmeister series, giving the highest selectivity coefficients for UO{sub 2}{sup 2+} among all examined cations (Pb{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Ca{sup 2+}, Mg{sup 2+}, Na{sup +}, K{sup +}). (authors)

  14. Production of Fluconazole-Loaded Polymeric Micelles Using Membrane and Microfluidic Dispersion Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Lu

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Polymeric micelles with a controlled size in the range between 41 and 80 nm were prepared by injecting the organic phase through a microengineered nickel membrane or a tapered-end glass capillary into an aqueous phase. The organic phase was composed of 1 mg·mL−1 of PEG-b-PCL diblock copolymers with variable molecular weights, dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF or acetone. The pore size of the membrane was 20 μm and the aqueous/organic phase volumetric flow rate ratio ranged from 1.5 to 10. Block copolymers were successfully synthesized with Mn ranging from ~9700 to 16,000 g·mol−1 and polymeric micelles were successfully produced from both devices. Micelles produced from the membrane device were smaller than those produced from the microfluidic device, due to the much smaller pore size compared with the orifice size in a co-flow device. The micelles were found to be relatively stable in terms of their size with an initial decrease in size attributed to evaporation of residual solvent rather than their structural disintegration. Fluconazole was loaded into the cores of micelles by injecting the organic phase composed of 0.5–2.5 mg·mL−1 fluconazole and 1.5 mg·mL−1 copolymer. The size of the drug-loaded micelles was found to be significantly larger than the size of empty micelles.

  15. A 9-vinyladenine-based molecularly imprinted polymeric membrane for the efficient recognition of plant hormone 1H-indole-3-acetic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Changbao; Chen Yanjun; Zhou Jie; Wu Chunhui

    2006-01-01

    9-Vinyladenine was synthesized as a novel functional monomer for molecular imprinting techniques and its structure was established with elemental analysis and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The binding mechanism between this functional monomer 9-vinyladenine and the plant hormone 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid in acetonitrile was studied with UV-vis spectrophotometry. Based on this study, using 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid as a template molecule, a specific 9-vinyladenine-based molecularly imprinted polymeric membrane was prepared. Then, the resultant polymeric membrane morphologies were visualized with scanning electron microscopy, and the membrane permselectivity for 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid, 1 H-indole-3-butyric acid and kinetin was tested with separate experiments and competitive diffusion experiments. These results showed that the imprinted polymeric membrane prepared with 9-vinyladenine exhibited higher transport selectivity for the template molecule 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid than 1 H-indole-3-butyric acid or kinetin. The membrane prepared with 9-vinyladenine also took on higher permselectivity for 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid in comparison with the imprinted membrane made with methacrylic acid. It is predicted that the 9-vinyladenine-based molecularly imprinted membrane may be applicable to the assay of 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid or for the preparation of a molecularly imprinted polymer sensor for the analysis of 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid in plant samples

  16. Characterization of inclusion complexes of organic ions with hydrophilic hosts by ion transfer voltammetry with solvent polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olmos, José Manuel; Laborda, Eduardo; Ortuño, Joaquín Ángel; Molina, Ángela

    2017-03-01

    The quantitative characterization of inclusion complexes formed in aqueous phase between organic ions and hydrophilic hosts by ion-transfer voltammetry with solvent polymeric membrane ion sensors is studied, both in a theoretical and experimental way. Simple analytical solutions are presented for the determination of the binding constant of the complex from the variation with the host concentration of the electrochemical signal. These solutions are valid for any voltammetric technique and for solvent polymeric membrane ion sensors comprising one polarisable interface (1PI) and also, for the first time, two polarisable interfaces (2PIs). Suitable experimental conditions and data analysis procedures are discussed and applied to the study of the interactions of a common ionic liquid cation (1-octyl-3-metyl-imidazolium) and an ionisable drug (clomipramine) with two hydrophilic cyclodextrins: α-cyclodextrin and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. The experimental study is performed via square wave voltammetry with 2PIs and 1PI solvent polymeric membranes and in both cases the electrochemical experiments enable the detection of inclusion complexes and the determination of the corresponding binding constant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. DEVELOPMENT OF A UREA BIOSENSOR BASED ON A POLYMERIC MEMBRANE INCLUDING ZEOLITE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. L HAMLAOUI

    2008-06-01

    + -sensitive membrane is based on a zeolite-incorporated polymeric membrane biosensor (clinoptilolite. The sensitivity of ammonium  detection is sub-nernstian (32mV/pNH4 + but the ISFET presents a high selectivity, which is interesting for measurements in biological media. The grafting of urease to the NH4 +-sensitive membrane was permorfed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde .The sensitivity of the urea ENFET is 15V/purea and this remains stable over 15 days with a detection limit of 3x10-5 M. Finally, in order to test feasibility of the urea biosensor for environmental applications, the remaining activity of the urease was determined after exposure to enzyme inhibiting heavy metals ions such as Hg(II.Using these urea biosensors, a detection limit of less than 5 x 10-8 M was obtained for Hg(II.

  18. Engineering of the E. coli Outer Membrane Protein FhuA to overcome the Hydrophobic Mismatch in Thick Polymeric Membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fioroni Marco

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Channel proteins like the engineered FhuA Δ1-159 often cannot insert into thick polymeric membranes due to a mismatch between the hydrophobic surface of the protein and the hydrophobic surface of the polymer membrane. To address this problem usually specific block copolymers are synthesized to facilitate protein insertion. Within this study in a reverse approach we match the protein to the polymer instead of matching the polymer to the protein. Results To increase the FhuA Δ1-159 hydrophobic surface by 1 nm, the last 5 amino acids of each of the 22 β-sheets, prior to the more regular periplasmatic β-turns, were doubled leading to an extended FhuA Δ1-159 (FhuA Δ1-159 Ext. The secondary structure prediction and CD spectroscopy indicate the β-barrel folding of FhuA Δ1-159 Ext. The FhuA Δ1-159 Ext insertion and functionality within a nanocontainer polymeric membrane based on the triblock copolymer PIB1000-PEG6000-PIB1000 (PIB = polyisobutylene, PEG = polyethyleneglycol has been proven by kinetic analysis using the HRP-TMB assay (HRP = Horse Radish Peroxidase, TMB = 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine. Identical experiments with the unmodified FhuA Δ1-159 report no kinetics and presumably no insertion into the PIB1000-PEG6000-PIB1000 membrane. Furthermore labeling of the Lys-NH2 groups present in the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext channel, leads to controllability of in/out flux of substrates and products from the nanocontainer. Conclusion Using a simple "semi rational" approach the protein's hydrophobic transmembrane region was increased by 1 nm, leading to a predicted lower hydrophobic mismatch between the protein and polymer membrane, minimizing the insertion energy penalty. The strategy of adding amino acids to the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext hydrophobic part can be further expanded to increase the protein's hydrophobicity, promoting the efficient embedding into thicker/more hydrophobic block copolymer membranes.

  19. Engineering of the E. coli outer membrane protein FhuA to overcome the hydrophobic mismatch in thick polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhammad, Noor; Dworeck, Tamara; Fioroni, Marco; Schwaneberg, Ulrich

    2011-03-17

    Channel proteins like the engineered FhuA Δ1-159 often cannot insert into thick polymeric membranes due to a mismatch between the hydrophobic surface of the protein and the hydrophobic surface of the polymer membrane. To address this problem usually specific block copolymers are synthesized to facilitate protein insertion. Within this study in a reverse approach we match the protein to the polymer instead of matching the polymer to the protein. To increase the FhuA Δ1-159 hydrophobic surface by 1 nm, the last 5 amino acids of each of the 22 β-sheets, prior to the more regular periplasmatic β-turns, were doubled leading to an extended FhuA Δ1-159 (FhuA Δ1-159 Ext). The secondary structure prediction and CD spectroscopy indicate the β-barrel folding of FhuA Δ1-159 Ext. The FhuA Δ1-159 Ext insertion and functionality within a nanocontainer polymeric membrane based on the triblock copolymer PIB(1000)-PEG(6000)-PIB(1000) (PIB = polyisobutylene, PEG = polyethyleneglycol) has been proven by kinetic analysis using the HRP-TMB assay (HRP = Horse Radish Peroxidase, TMB = 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine). Identical experiments with the unmodified FhuA Δ1-159 report no kinetics and presumably no insertion into the PIB(1000)-PEG(6000)-PIB(1000) membrane. Furthermore labeling of the Lys-NH(2) groups present in the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext channel, leads to controllability of in/out flux of substrates and products from the nanocontainer. Using a simple "semi rational" approach the protein's hydrophobic transmembrane region was increased by 1 nm, leading to a predicted lower hydrophobic mismatch between the protein and polymer membrane, minimizing the insertion energy penalty. The strategy of adding amino acids to the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext hydrophobic part can be further expanded to increase the protein's hydrophobicity, promoting the efficient embedding into thicker/more hydrophobic block copolymer membranes.

  20. Temporal Changes in Extracellular Polymeric Substances on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Membrane Surfaces in a Submerged Membrane Bioreactor

    KAUST Repository

    Matar, Gerald Kamil

    2016-03-02

    Membrane surface hydrophilic modification has always been considered to mitigating biofouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Four hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes (pore sizes ∼0.1 μm) differing only in hydrophobic or hydrophilic surface characteristics were operated at a permeate flux of 10 L/m2.h in the same lab-scale MBR fed with synthetic wastewater. In addition, identical membrane modules without permeate production (0 L/m2.h) were operated in the same lab-scale MBR. Membrane modules were autopsied after 1, 10, 20 and 30 days of MBR operation, and total extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) accumulated on the membranes were extracted and characterized in detail using several analytical tools, including conventional colorimetric tests (Lowry and Dubois), liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD), fluorescence excitation - emission matrices (FEEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The transmembrane pressure (TMP) quickly stabilized with higher values for the hydrophobic membranes than hydrophilic ones. The sulfonated polysulfone (SPSU) membrane had the highest negatively charged membrane surface, accumulated the least amount of foulants and displayed the lowest TMP. The same type of organic foulants developed with time on the four membranes and the composition of biopolymers shifted from protein dominance at early stages of filtration (day 1) towards polysaccharides dominance during later stages of MBR filtration. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling of LC-OCD data showed that biofilm samples clustered according to the sampling event (time) regardless of the membrane surface chemistry (hydrophobic or hydrophilic) or operating mode (with or without permeate flux). These results suggest that EPS composition may not be the dominant parameter for evaluating membrane performance and possibly other parameters such as biofilm thickness, porosity, compactness and structure should be considered

  1. The Comparative Study on Vapor-Polymerization and Pressure-dependent Conductance Behavior in Polypyrrole-hybridized Membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanif, Zahid; Lee, Seyeong; Arsalani, Nasir; Geckeler, Kurt E.; Hong, Sukwon; Yoon, Myung-Han [Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-02-15

    In this study, commercially available cellulose membranes were hybridized with conjugated polymer via vapor-phase polymerization using pyrrole and iron chloride as a monomer and oxidant, respectively. The iron (III) chloride layer dip-coated on the hydrophilic cell ulose surface oxidized the vaporized pyrrole monomer leading to the polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane. The conductivity of hybrid membrane was optimized by varying the oxidant concentration and the monomer vapor exposure time. The various surface characterizations of polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane show that the conductive polypyrrole layer was uniformly deposited onto the surface of cellulose fibrous networks unlike the polypyrrole-nylonhybrid membrane prepared in the similar way. The polypyrrole-incorporated cellulose networks exhibits steeper electrical conductance increase over the vertical pressure than its nylon counterpart. Our result suggests that the polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane can be applicable for a disposable high-load pressure sensor.

  2. The Comparative Study on Vapor-Polymerization and Pressure-dependent Conductance Behavior in Polypyrrole-hybridized Membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanif, Zahid; Lee, Seyeong; Arsalani, Nasir; Geckeler, Kurt E.; Hong, Sukwon; Yoon, Myung-Han

    2016-01-01

    In this study, commercially available cellulose membranes were hybridized with conjugated polymer via vapor-phase polymerization using pyrrole and iron chloride as a monomer and oxidant, respectively. The iron (III) chloride layer dip-coated on the hydrophilic cell ulose surface oxidized the vaporized pyrrole monomer leading to the polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane. The conductivity of hybrid membrane was optimized by varying the oxidant concentration and the monomer vapor exposure time. The various surface characterizations of polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane show that the conductive polypyrrole layer was uniformly deposited onto the surface of cellulose fibrous networks unlike the polypyrrole-nylonhybrid membrane prepared in the similar way. The polypyrrole-incorporated cellulose networks exhibits steeper electrical conductance increase over the vertical pressure than its nylon counterpart. Our result suggests that the polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane can be applicable for a disposable high-load pressure sensor.

  3. Poly-thiosemicarbazide/gold nanoparticles catalytic membrane: In-situ growth of well-dispersed, uniform and stable gold nanoparticles in a polymeric membrane

    KAUST Repository

    Villalobos, Luis Francisco

    2014-11-01

    This work presents a method that achieves the highest loading, published so far, of non-agglomerated and well-distributed gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) inside a polymeric membrane. The method uses poly-thiosemicarbazide (PTSC) as the starting material for fabricating the membranes. This polymer contains one chelate site per monomeric unit, resulting in a high content of adsorption sites. This helps to achieve such high loading without agglomeration, along with the strong interaction of the chelate sites with the metal ions and the fact that they are distributed homogeneously along the membrane structure. The simple and scalable three-step procedure developed in this work resulted in a PTSC membrane containing 33.5 wt.% Au/PTSC in the form of 2.9 nm AuNPs. The membrane demonstrated catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-Aminophenol (4-AP). © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

  4. Polymeric synthetic geo membranes in reservoirs waterproofing in the Kingdom of Morocco

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanco Fernandez, M.

    2015-01-01

    This essay aims to address some of the aspects related to polymeric synthetic geo membranes that could be used in reservoirs of water located in the Kingdom of Morocco. In this regard, it offers a description of the two basic components geo membranes consist of, that is, resins and additives. It also gives an overview of the key pieces of legislation affecting such an issue. Furthermore, it stresses the paramount importance of implementing monitoring procedures in order to assess the condition of geo membranes over time and, if necessary, to proceed to provide for new waterproofing. Lastly, the characteristics of the process monitoring aforementioned are detailed in terms of tensile strength, elongation, tear resistance, dynamic impact, puncture resistance, low-temperature folding. Shore hardness, stress cracking, oxidation induction times, joint strength shear and peeling test, content and dispersion of carbon black and reflection-optical and scanning-electron microscopy. (Author)

  5. Ultra-selective defect-free interfacially polymerized molecular sieve thin-film composite membranes for H2 purification

    KAUST Repository

    Ali, Zain

    2017-10-10

    Purification is a major bottleneck towards generating low-cost commercial hydrogen. In this work, inexpensive high-performance H2 separating membranes were fabricated by modifying the commercially successful interfacial polymerization production method for reverse osmosis membranes. Defect-free thin-film composite membranes were formed demonstrating unprecedented mixed-gas H2/CO2 selectivity of ≈ 50 at 140 °C with H2 permeance of 350 GPU, surpassing the permeance/selectivity upper bound of all known polymer membranes by a wide margin. The combination of exceptional separation performance and low manufacturing cost makes them excellent candidates for cost-effective hydrogen purification from steam cracking and similar processes.

  6. Zwitterionic sulfobetaine-grafted poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane surface with stably anti-protein-fouling performance via a two-step surface polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Qian; Bi Qiuyan; Zhou Bo [Membrane Technology and Engineering Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Wang Xiaolin, E-mail: xl-wang@tsinghua.edu.cn [Membrane Technology and Engineering Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

    2012-03-01

    A zwitterionic polymer, poly(3-(methacryloylamino) propyl-dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide) (poly(MPDSAH)) was successfully grafted in high density from the surface of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane via a two-step polymerization. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA)) chains were firstly grafted from outside surface of PVDF membrane through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to provide the initiation sites for subsequent cerium (Ce (IV))-induced graft copolymerization of polyMPDSAH in the presence of N,N Prime -ethylene bisacrylamide (EBAA) as a cross-linking agent. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed that the EBAA could stimulate zwitterionic polymers grafting onto the membrane surface. The dense poly(MPDSAH) layers on the PVDF membrane surface were revealed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical property of PVDF membrane was improved by the zwitterionic surface layers. The gravimetry results indicated the grafting amount increased to 520 {mu}g/cm{sup 2} for a copolymerization time of more than 3 h. Static and dynamic water contact angle measurements showed that the surface hydrophilicity of the PVDF membranes was significantly enhanced. As the grafting amount reached 513 {mu}g cm{sup -2}, the value of contact angle dropped to 22.1 Degree-Sign and the amount of protein adsorption decreased to zero. The cyclic experiments for BSA solution filtration demonstrated that the extent of protein fouling was significantly reduced and most of the fouling was reversible. The grafted polymer layer on the PVDF membrane showed a good stability during the membrane cleaning process. The experimental results concluded a good prospect in obtaining the sulfobetaine-modified PVDF membranes with high mechanical strength, good anti-protein-fouling performance, and long-term stability via the two-step polymerization.

  7. Zwitterionic sulfobetaine-grafted poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane surface with stably anti-protein-fouling performance via a two-step surface polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Qian; Bi Qiuyan; Zhou Bo; Wang Xiaolin

    2012-01-01

    A zwitterionic polymer, poly(3-(methacryloylamino) propyl-dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide) (poly(MPDSAH)) was successfully grafted in high density from the surface of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane via a two-step polymerization. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA)) chains were firstly grafted from outside surface of PVDF membrane through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to provide the initiation sites for subsequent cerium (Ce (IV))-induced graft copolymerization of polyMPDSAH in the presence of N,N′-ethylene bisacrylamide (EBAA) as a cross-linking agent. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed that the EBAA could stimulate zwitterionic polymers grafting onto the membrane surface. The dense poly(MPDSAH) layers on the PVDF membrane surface were revealed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical property of PVDF membrane was improved by the zwitterionic surface layers. The gravimetry results indicated the grafting amount increased to 520 μg/cm 2 for a copolymerization time of more than 3 h. Static and dynamic water contact angle measurements showed that the surface hydrophilicity of the PVDF membranes was significantly enhanced. As the grafting amount reached 513 μg cm -2 , the value of contact angle dropped to 22.1° and the amount of protein adsorption decreased to zero. The cyclic experiments for BSA solution filtration demonstrated that the extent of protein fouling was significantly reduced and most of the fouling was reversible. The grafted polymer layer on the PVDF membrane showed a good stability during the membrane cleaning process. The experimental results concluded a good prospect in obtaining the sulfobetaine-modified PVDF membranes with high mechanical strength, good anti-protein-fouling performance, and long-term stability via the two-step polymerization.

  8. Adsorbent filled membranes for gas separation. Part 1. Improvement of the gas separation properties of polymeric membranes by incorporation of microporous adsorbents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duval, J.M.; Duval, J.-M.; Folkers, Albertje; Mulder, M.H.V.; Desgrandchamps, G.; Smolders, C.A.; Smolders, C.A.

    1993-01-01

    The effect of the introduction of specific adsorbents on the gas separation properties of polymeric membranes has been studied. For this purpose both carbon molecular sieves and zeolites are considered. The results show that zeolites such as silicate-1, 13X and KY improve to a large extent the

  9. Potentiometric perchlorate determination at nanomolar concentrations in vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leoterio, Dilmo M S; Paim, Ana Paula S; Belian, Mônica F; Galembeck, André; Lavorante, André F; Pinto, Edgar; Amorim, Célia G; Araújo, Alberto N; Montenegro, Maria C B S M

    2017-07-15

    In this work, an expeditious method based on the multi-commutated flow-analysis concept with potentiometric detection is proposed to perform determinations of the emergent contaminant perchlorate in vegetable matrices down to nanomolar concentration. To accomplish the task, a tubular shaped potentiometric sensor selective to perchlorate ion was constructed with a PVC membrane containing 12mmol/kg of the polyamine bisnaphthalimidopropyl-4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane and 2-nitrophenyl phenyl ether 68% (w/w) as plasticizer casted on a conductive epoxy resin. Under optimal flow conditions, the sensor responded linearly in the concentration range of 6.3×10 -7 -1.0×10 -3 mol/L perchlorate. In order to extend the determinations to lower concentrations (4.6(±1.3)×10 -10 mol/L perchlorate), a column packed with 70mg of sodium 2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxa-1-silacyclotetradecane-polymer was coupled to the flow-system thus enabling prior pre-concentration of the perchlorate. The proposed procedure provides a simpler alternative for the determination of perchlorate in foods, nowadays only allowed by sophisticated and expensive equipment and laborious methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Techno-economical evaluation of membrane based biogas upgrading system: A comparison between polymeric membrane and carbon membrane technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shamim Haider

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available A shift to renewable energy sources will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and secure future energy supplies. In this context, utilization of biogas will play a prominent role. Focus of this work is upgrading of biogas to fuel quality by membrane separation using a carbon hollow fibre (CHF membrane and compare with a commercially available polymeric membrane (polyimide through economical assessment. CHF membrane modules were prepared for pilot plant testing and performance measured using CO2, O2, N2. The CHF membrane was modified through oxidation, chemical vapour deposition (CVD and reduction process thus tailoring pores for separation and increased performance. The post oxidized and reduced carbon hollow fibres (PORCHFs significantly exceeded CHF performance showing higher CO2 permeance (0.021 m3(STP/m2 h bar and CO2/CH4 selectivity of 246 (5 bar feed vs 50 mbar permeate pressure. The highest performance recorded through experiments (CHF and PORCHF was used as simulation basis. A membrane simulation model was used and interfaced to 8.6 V Aspen HYSYS. A 300 Nm3/h mixture of CO2/CH4 containing 30–50% CO2 at feed pressures 6, 8 and 10 bar, was simulated and process designed to recover 99.5% CH4 with 97.5% purity. Net present value (NPV was calculated for base case and optimal pressure (50 bar for CHF and PORCHF. The results indicated that recycle ratio (recycle/feed ranged from 0.2 to 10, specific energy from 0.15 to 0.8 (kW/Nm3feed and specific membrane area from 45 to 4700 (m2/Nm3feed. The high recycle ratio can create problems during start-up, as it would take long to adjust volumetric flow ratio towards 10. The best membrane separation system employs a three-stage system with polyimide at 10 bar, and a two-stage membrane system with PORCHF membranes at 50 bar with recycle. Considering biomethane price of 0.78 $/Nm3 and a lifetime of 15 years, the techno-economic analysis showed that payback time for

  11. Ionic effect investigation of a potentiometric sensor for urea and surface morphology observation of entrapped urease/polypyrrole matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syu, Mei-Jywan; Chang, Yu-Sung

    2009-04-15

    Potentio-dynamic polymerization of buffered urease and pyrrole monomer onto carbon papers was conducted to fabricate an immobilized urease electrode for measuring the urea concentration. To use carbon paper as the substrate for the electro-growth of polypyrrole matrix not only created sufficient adhesion of the conducting polymer layer but also provided superior entrapment of urease enzymes. The potentiometric response corresponding to ammonia, the product formed from the urease catalyzed urea reaction, was employed for the urea concentration measurement. Scanning electron microscopic photographs showed that the polypyrrole matrix deposited on the carbon papers appeared to be of a cylindrical nanotube shape. The charge density applied in the polymerization was found to affect the potentiometric response while the potential-scanning rate showed minor influence. The composite electrodes had high sensitivity in urea detection, showing a response linear to the logarithm of the urea concentration in the range of 10(-3) to 10 mM. The detection of urea solution prepared in water and buffer was also compared. Ionic effect on the sensing of urea solution was investigated. By comparing the data reported in literature, the urease/polypyrrole/carbon paper electrode developed in this work showed superior long-term stability and reusability. The detection of urea in serum was also well performed.

  12. Permian potentiometric analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devary, J.L.

    1983-09-01

    Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) was requested to analyze potentiometric data from the Wolfcamp Formation of the Permian System to evaluate the recommendations by the University of Texas/Bureau of Economic Geology (UT/BEG) that additional geohydrologic boreholes be drilled into the Wolfcamp. The UT/BEG recommended that two stratigraphic and two geohydrologic borings be drilled into the Permian System during FY83 and that several shallow hydrologic tests be made in the Dockum Formation. A geostatistical technique known as kriging was applied to objectively evaluate these geohydrologic borehole recommendations. The Deaf Smith County location appears to be an excellent choice for a borehole. No high quality potentiometric data are available from Deaf Smith County and a borehole location immediately upgradient from the candidate repository site is needed. Adding this borehole location to the potentiometric data base will significantly reduce field data uncertainty near the location being studied. The Swisher County location does not appear to be the best choice. High quality data values H2206 and H2360 are located immediately upgradient from the proposed repository site. The best placement of additional geohydrological boreholes in the Wolfcamp Formation depends strongly upon the proposed repository location. The variability of the potentiometric data causes estimation errors to rapidly increase away from locations of field measurements. Suggested locations for additional boreholes for the Deaf Smith investigations are in northwest Randall or central Potter Counties. Ideal borehole locations for the Swisher county studies appear to be in southeast Randall and Armstrong Counties

  13. Protein nanocoatings on synthetic polymeric nanofibrous membranes designed as carriers for skin cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bacakova, Marketa; Pajorova, Julia; Stranska, Denisa; Hadraba, Daniel; Lopot, Frantisek; Riedel, Tomas; Brynda, Eduard; Zaloudkova, Margit; Bacakova, Lucie

    2017-01-01

    Protein-coated resorbable synthetic polymeric nanofibrous membranes are promising for the fabrication of advanced skin substitutes. We fabricated electrospun polylactic acid and poly(lactide- co -glycolic acid) nanofibrous membranes and coated them with fibrin or collagen I. Fibronectin was attached to a fibrin or collagen nanocoating, in order further to enhance the cell adhesion and spreading. Fibrin regularly formed a coating around individual nanofibers in the membranes, and also formed a thin noncontinuous nanofibrous mesh on top of the membranes. Collagen also coated most of the fibers of the membrane and randomly created a soft gel on the membrane surface. Fibronectin predominantly adsorbed onto a thin fibrin mesh or a collagen gel, and formed a thin nanofibrous structure. Fibrin nanocoating greatly improved the attachment, spreading, and proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts, whereas collagen nanocoating had a positive influence on the behavior of human HaCaT keratinocytes. In addition, fibrin stimulated the fibroblasts to synthesize fibronectin and to deposit it as an extracellular matrix. Fibrin coating also showed a tendency to improve the ultimate tensile strength of the nanofibrous membranes. Fibronectin attached to fibrin or to a collagen coating further enhanced the adhesion, spreading, and proliferation of both cell types.

  14. Polysulfone hemodiafiltration membranes with enhanced anti-fouling and hemocompatibility modified by poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) via in situ cross-linked polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Lijing, E-mail: zhulijing@nimte.ac.cn; Song, Haiming; Wang, Jiarong; Xue, Lixin, E-mail: xuelx@nimte.ac.cn

    2017-05-01

    Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and its copolymers have been widely employed for the modification of hemodiafiltration membranes due to their excellent hydrophilicity, antifouling and hemocompatibility. However, challenges still remain to simplify the modification procedure and to improve the utilization efficiency. In this paper, antifouling and hemocompatibility polysulfone (PSf) hemodiafiltration membranes were fabricated via in situ cross-linked polymerization of vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) in PSf solutions and non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technique. The prepared membranes were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which suggested that VP and VTEOS have been cross-linked copolymerized in PSf membranes. The modified PSf membranes with high polymer content showed improved hydrophilicity, ultrafiltration and protein antifouling ability. In addition, the modified PSf membranes showed lower protein adsorption, inhibited platelet adhesion and deformation, prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and decreased the content of fibrinogen (FIB) transferring to fibrin, indicating enhanced hemocompatibility. In a word, the present work provides a simple and effective one-step modification method to construct PSf membranes with improved hydrophilicity, antifouling and hemocompatibility. - Highlights: • PSf membranes were modified by in situ cross-linked polymerization. • The modified PSf membranes showed enhanced hydrophilicity. • The anti-fouling and hemocompatibility of PSf membranes were improved.

  15. Polysulfone hemodiafiltration membranes with enhanced anti-fouling and hemocompatibility modified by poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) via in situ cross-linked polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Lijing; Song, Haiming; Wang, Jiarong; Xue, Lixin

    2017-01-01

    Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and its copolymers have been widely employed for the modification of hemodiafiltration membranes due to their excellent hydrophilicity, antifouling and hemocompatibility. However, challenges still remain to simplify the modification procedure and to improve the utilization efficiency. In this paper, antifouling and hemocompatibility polysulfone (PSf) hemodiafiltration membranes were fabricated via in situ cross-linked polymerization of vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) in PSf solutions and non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technique. The prepared membranes were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which suggested that VP and VTEOS have been cross-linked copolymerized in PSf membranes. The modified PSf membranes with high polymer content showed improved hydrophilicity, ultrafiltration and protein antifouling ability. In addition, the modified PSf membranes showed lower protein adsorption, inhibited platelet adhesion and deformation, prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and decreased the content of fibrinogen (FIB) transferring to fibrin, indicating enhanced hemocompatibility. In a word, the present work provides a simple and effective one-step modification method to construct PSf membranes with improved hydrophilicity, antifouling and hemocompatibility. - Highlights: • PSf membranes were modified by in situ cross-linked polymerization. • The modified PSf membranes showed enhanced hydrophilicity. • The anti-fouling and hemocompatibility of PSf membranes were improved.

  16. The Effect of Microporous Polymeric Support Modification on Surface and Gas Transport Properties of Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes

    OpenAIRE

    Akhmetshina, Alsu A.; Davletbaeva, Ilsiya M.; Grebenschikova, Ekaterina S.; Sazanova, Tatyana S.; Petukhov, Anton N.; Atlaskin, Artem A.; Razov, Evgeny N.; Zaripov, Ilnaz I.; Martins, Carla F.; Neves, Lu?sa A.; Vorotyntsev, Ilya V.

    2015-01-01

    Microporous polymers based on anionic macroinitiator and toluene 2,4-diisocyanate were used as a support for 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF6]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([emim][Tf2N]) immobilization. The polymeric support was modified by using silica particles associated in oligomeric media, and the influence of the modifier used on the polymeric structure was studied. The supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) were tested ...

  17. Fusion of Potentiometric & Voltammetric Electronic Tongue for Classification of Black Tea Taste based on Theaflavins (TF) Content

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharyya, Nabarun; Legin, Andrey; Papieva, Irina; Sarkar, Subrata; Kirsanov, Dmitry; Kartsova, Anna; Ghosh, Arunangshu; Bandyopadhyay, Rajib

    2011-09-01

    Black tea is an extensively consumed beverage worldwide with an expanding market. The final quality of black tea depends upon number of chemical compounds present in the tea. Out of these compounds, theaflavins (TF), which is responsible for astringency in black tea, plays an important role in determining the final taste of the finished black tea. The present paper reports our effort to correlate the theaflavins contents with the voltammetric and potentiometric electronic tongue (e-tongue) data. Noble metal-based electrode array has been used for collecting data though voltammetric electronic tongue where as liquid filled membrane based electrodes have been used for potentiometric electronic tongue. Black tea samples with tea taster score and biochemical results have been collected from Tea Research Association, Tocklai, India for the analysis purpose. In this paper, voltammetric and potentiometric e-tongue responses are combined to demonstrate improvement of cluster formation among tea samples with different ranges of TF values.

  18. The influence of polymeric membrane gas spargers on hydrodynamics and mass transfer in bubble column bioreactors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tirunehe, Gossay; Norddahl, B.

    2016-01-01

    Gas sparging performances of a flat sheet and tubular polymeric membranes were investigated in 3.1 m bubble column bioreactor operated in a semi batch mode. Air–water and air–CMC (Carboxymethyl cellulose) solutions of 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 % w/w were used as interacting gas–liquid mediums. CMC....../s. The study indicated that the tubular membrane sparger produced the highest gas holdup and densely populated fine bubbles with narrow size distribution. An increase in liquid viscosity promoted a shift in bubble size distribution to large stable bubbles and smaller specific interfacial area. The tubular...... membrane sparger achieved greater interfacial area and an enhanced overall mass transfer coefficient (KLa) by a factor of 1.2–1.9 compared to the flat sheet membrane....

  19. [Computer modeling the dependences of the membrane potential for polymeric membrane separated non-homogeneous electrolyte solutions on concentration Rayleigh number].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slezak, Izabella H; Jasik-Slezak, Jolanta; Bilewicz-Wyrozumska, Teresa; Slezak, Andrzej

    2006-01-01

    On the basis of model equation describing the membrane potential delta psi(s) on concentration Rayleigh number (R(C)), mechanical pressure difference (deltaP), concentration polarization coefficient (zeta s) and ratio concentration of solutions separated by membrane (Ch/Cl), the characteristics delta psi(s) = f(Rc)(delta P, zeta s, Ch/Cl) for steady values of zeta s, R(C) and Ch/Cl in single-membrane system were calculated. In this system neutral and isotropic polymeric membrane oriented in horizontal plane, the non-homogeneous binary electrolytic solutions of various concentrations were separated. Nonhomogeneity of solutions is results from creations of the concentration boundary layers on both sides of the membrane. Calculations were made for the case where on a one side of the membrane aqueous solution of NaCl at steady concentration 10(-3) mol x l(-1) (Cl) was placed and on the other aqueous solutions of NaCl at concentrations from 10(-3) mol x l(-1) to 2 x 10(-2) mol x l(-1) (Ch). Their densities were greater than NaCl solution's at 10(-3) mol x l(-1). It was shown that membrane potential depends on hydrodynamic state of a complex concentration boundary layer-membrane-concentration boundary layer, what is controlled by deltaP, Ch/Cl, Rc and Zeta(s).

  20. Novel LTCC-potentiometric microfluidic device for biparametric analysis of organic compounds carrying plastic antibodies as ionophores: application to sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, S A A; Arasa, E; Puyol, M; Martinez-Cisneros, C S; Alonso-Chamarro, J; Montenegro, M C B S M; Sales, M G F

    2011-12-15

    Monitoring organic environmental contaminants is of crucial importance to ensure public health. This requires simple, portable and robust devices to carry out on-site analysis. For this purpose, a low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) microfluidic potentiometric device (LTCC/μPOT) was developed for the first time for an organic compound: sulfamethoxazole (SMX). Sensory materials relied on newly designed plastic antibodies. Sol-gel, self-assembling monolayer and molecular-imprinting techniques were merged for this purpose. Silica beads were amine-modified and linked to SMX via glutaraldehyde modification. Condensation polymerization was conducted around SMX to fill the vacant spaces. SMX was removed after, leaving behind imprinted sites of complementary shape. The obtained particles were used as ionophores in plasticized PVC membranes. The most suitable membrane composition was selected in steady-state assays. Its suitability to flow analysis was verified in flow-injection studies with regular tubular electrodes. The LTCC/μPOT device integrated a bidimensional mixer, an embedded reference electrode based on Ag/AgCl and an Ag-based contact screen-printed under a micromachined cavity of 600 μm depth. The sensing membranes were deposited over this contact and acted as indicating electrodes. Under optimum conditions, the SMX sensor displayed slopes of about -58.7 mV/decade in a range from 12.7 to 250 μg/mL, providing a detection limit of 3.85 μg/mL and a sampling throughput of 36 samples/h with a reagent consumption of 3.3 mL per sample. The system was adjusted later to multiple analyte detection by including a second potentiometric cell on the LTCC/μPOT device. No additional reference electrode was required. This concept was applied to Trimethoprim (TMP), always administered concomitantly with sulphonamide drugs, and tested in fish-farming waters. The biparametric microanalyzer displayed Nernstian behaviour, with average slopes -54.7 (SMX) and +57.8 (TMP) m

  1. An efficient ab initio DFT and PCM assessment of the potentiometric selectivity of a salophen type Schiff base.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demir, Serkan; Yilmaz, Hakan; Dilimulati, Maowulidan; Andaç, Müberra

    2014-06-01

    As a neutral carrier component for the preparation of a potentiometric membrane sensor, the affinity and selectivity of the salophen type Schiff base ligand obtained by 1:2 condensation of 2.3-diaminopyridine with salicylaldehyde toward a series of common cations has been fully examined by DFT/B3LYP and integral equation formalism polarizable continum model (IEF-PCM or only given with PCM as default input in the computations) in combination with the experimental data. Both the potentiometric measurements and DFT calculations have exhibited that the ionophore shows appreciable selectivity for Cu(2+) ion over other cations. Four different approaches where the last three are the modified version of each other have been evaluated and compared with potentiometric data. Based upon the results of comparison among the approaches suggested to verify the selective behavior of ionophore toward Cu(2+), PCM implemented approach having a whole computational groundwork has given well-matched results with the observed data and with the method augmented with experimental hydration energies. The foremost interferences were detected by determining potentiometric selectivity coefficients for each metal ion relative to Cu(2+) and compared to the results obtained by the DFT calculations.

  2. Solvent and Thermally Resistant Polymeric Membranes for Different Applications

    KAUST Repository

    Taghreeed, Jalal

    2016-11-01

    In this work polymeric materials were developed to be used as a solvent and heat resistance membrane for different applications. In ultrafiltration, poly (ether imide sulfone) membranes were manufactured by combining phase inversion and functionalization reaction between epoxy groups and amine modified polyether oligomers (Jeffamine®). Polysilsesquioxanes or oligo silsesquioxanes containing epoxy functionalities were in-situ grown in the casting solution and made available for further reaction with amines in the coagulation/annealing baths. Water permeances up to 1500 l m-2 h-1 bar-1 were obtained with sharp pore size distribution and a pore diameter peak at 66 nm, confirmed by porosimetry, allowing 99.2 % rejection of γ-globulin. The membranes were stable in 50:50 dimethylformamide/water, 50:50 N-methyl pyrrolidone/water and 100 % tetrahydrofuran. In pervaporation, Novel hydrophobic Hyflon®/Extem® and Hyflon®/PVDF were developed and investigated for ethylene glycol dehydration and n-butanol dehydration respectively. For ethylene glycol different Extem® concentrations were evaluated with regard to both flux and amount of water in the permeate side. Eighteen (18) wt% gave more than 90 wt% water in the permeate. Increasing feed temperature from 25 to 85°C increased the water flux from 31 to 91 g m-2 h-1 when using 5 wt% water in ethylene glycol as feed. The water flux of 40 wt% water:ethylene glycol at 45°C was found to be 350 g m-2 h-1. And for n-butanol dehydration the coating protocols for thin defect-free Hyflon® selective layer on the PVDF support was optimized. Water and n-butanol transport was measured, analyzing the effect of operating conditions. The water flux through the newly developed membranes was higher than 150 g m-2 h-1 with selectivity for water higher than 99 wt%. The membrane application can be extended to other solvents, supporting an effective and simple method for dehydration with hydrophobic membranes. In membrane distillation, PVDF

  3. Potentiometric titration with polarized electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chikryzova, E.G.

    1977-01-01

    Based on the analysis of the works carried out during 1911-75 consideration is given to the present state of the method of potentiometric titration with polarized electrodes. The material is generalized in the tabular form indicating the elments of interest, titration conditions and the objects to be analyzed. The list and classification of the potentiometric titration methods intended for determining organic and inorganic substances are presented

  4. Polymeric-silica-based sols for membrane modification applications: sol-gel synthesis and characterization with SAXS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Lange, Rob; de Lange, R.S.A.; Hekkink, J.H.A.; Hekkink, J.H.A.; Keizer, Klaas; Burggraaf, Anthonie; Burggraaf, A.J.

    1995-01-01

    Polymeric SiO2 and binary SiO2/TiO2, SiO2/ZrO2 and SiO2/Al2O3 sols, for ceramic membrane modification applications, have been prepared by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation of alkoxides in alcohol. The sols were characterized with small angle X-ray scattering, using synchrotron radiation.

  5. New RO TFC Membranes by Interfacial Polymerization in n-Dodecane with Various co-Solvents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Hobaib, Abdullah Sulaiman; Al-Suhybani, Mohammed Sulaiman; Al-Sheetan, Khalid Mohammed; Mousa, Hasan; Shaik, Mohammed Rafi

    2016-04-29

    The objective of this research is to prepare and characterize a new and highly efficient polyamide TFC RO membrane by interfacial polymerization in dodecane solvent mixed with co-solvents. Three co-solvents were tested namely; acetone, ethyl acetate, and diethyl ether of concentration of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 5 wt %. The modified membranes were characterized by SEM, EDX, AFM and contact angle techniques. The results showed that addition of co-solvent results in a decrease in the roughness, pore size and thickness of the produced membranes. However, as the concentration of the co-solvent increases the pore size of the membranes gets larger. Among the three co-solvents tested, acetone was found to result in membranes with the largest pore size and contact angle followed by diethyl ether then ethyl acetate. Measured contact angle increases as the concentration of the co-solvent increases reaching a constant value except for ethyl acetate where it was found to drop. Investigating flux and salt rejection by the formulated membranes showed that higher flux was attained when acetone was used as a co-solvent followed by diethyl ether then ethyl acetate. However, the highest salt rejection was achieved with diethyl ether.

  6. Lanthanum(IlI) PVC membrane electrodes based on 1,3,5-trithiacyclohexane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamsipur, Mojtaba; Yousefi, Mohammad; Hosseini, Morteza; Ganjali, Mohammad Reza

    2002-11-01

    Novel plasticized polymeric membrane (PPME) and membrane-coated graphite (MCGE) electrodes based on 1,3,5-trithiacyclohexane for highly selective determination of La3+ ion have been developed. The electrodes exhibit Nernstian responses over very wide concentration ranges (8.0 x 10(-6)-5.0 x 10(-2) M for PPME and 4.0 x 10(-8)-1.0 x 10(-2) M for MCGE). The limit of detections were 5.0 x 10(-6) and 2.0 x 10(-8) M for PPME and MCGE, respectively. The electrodes possess a fast response time of approximately 10 s and can be used for at least 6 months without observing any deviation. The proposed electrodes revealed excellent selectivities for La3+ over a wide variety of alkali, alkaline earth, transition, and heavy metal ions and could be used in a pH range of 5.0-8.0. The practical utility of the electrodes has been demonstrated by their use as indicator electrodes in the potentiometric titration of La3+ ions with EDTA and in determination of F- in some mouthwash preparations.

  7. Polymerization of Phenylacetylene-Based Monodendrons with Alkoxy Peripheral Groups and Oxygen/Nitrogen Permeation Behavior of Their Membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takashi Kaneko

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Monodendron monomers with alkoxy peripheral groups were synthesized, and the focal point of monodendrons, terminal acetylene, was polymerized with rhodium catalyst to yield corresponding polydendrons with a high molecular weight. The polydendrons were soluble in common organic solvents and readily formed membranes. Oxygen permselectivity was improved in the polydendrons with a space-persistent dendritic crowd. It was found that the well-defined dendritic and rod-like structure of the polydendrons was useful for permselective membrane.

  8. Comparison of filtration and treatment performance between polymeric and ceramic membranes in anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatment of domestic wastewater

    KAUST Repository

    Jeong, Yeongmi

    2018-02-28

    The feasibility of an anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor (AnCMBR) was investigated by comparison with a conventional anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). With regard to treatment performance, the AnCMBR achieved higher organic removal rates than the AnMBR because the ceramic membranes retained a high concentration of biomass in the reactor. Despite a high mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) concentration, the AnCMBR exhibited lower membrane fouling. To elucidate effects of sludge properties on membrane fouling in the AnCMBR and AnMBR, soluble microbial products (SMPs) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) were analyzed. The SMP and EPS concentrations in the AnCMBR were higher than in the AnMBR. This may be because some suspended solids bio-degraded and likely released protein-like SMPs in the AnCMBR. Hydrophobicity and surface charges were analyzed; the sludge in the AnCMBR was found to be more hydrophobic and less negative than in the AnMBR because protein was abundant in the AnCMBR. Despite the adverse properties of the sludge in the AnCMBR, it showed more stable filtration performance than the AnMBR. This is because the alumina-based ceramic membrane had a superhydrophilic surface and could thus mitigate membrane fouling by hydrophilic-hydrophobic repulsion. The findings from this study have significant implications for extending the application of AnCMBRs to, for example, treatment of high-strength organic waste such as food waste or livestock manure.

  9. Comparison of filtration and treatment performance between polymeric and ceramic membranes in anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatment of domestic wastewater

    KAUST Repository

    Jeong, Yeongmi; Kim, Youngjin; Jin, Yongxun; Hong, Seungkwan; Park, Chanhyuk

    2018-01-01

    The feasibility of an anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor (AnCMBR) was investigated by comparison with a conventional anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). With regard to treatment performance, the AnCMBR achieved higher organic removal rates than the AnMBR because the ceramic membranes retained a high concentration of biomass in the reactor. Despite a high mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) concentration, the AnCMBR exhibited lower membrane fouling. To elucidate effects of sludge properties on membrane fouling in the AnCMBR and AnMBR, soluble microbial products (SMPs) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) were analyzed. The SMP and EPS concentrations in the AnCMBR were higher than in the AnMBR. This may be because some suspended solids bio-degraded and likely released protein-like SMPs in the AnCMBR. Hydrophobicity and surface charges were analyzed; the sludge in the AnCMBR was found to be more hydrophobic and less negative than in the AnMBR because protein was abundant in the AnCMBR. Despite the adverse properties of the sludge in the AnCMBR, it showed more stable filtration performance than the AnMBR. This is because the alumina-based ceramic membrane had a superhydrophilic surface and could thus mitigate membrane fouling by hydrophilic-hydrophobic repulsion. The findings from this study have significant implications for extending the application of AnCMBRs to, for example, treatment of high-strength organic waste such as food waste or livestock manure.

  10. Recent advances on polymeric membranes for membrane reactors

    KAUST Repository

    Buonomenna, M. G.; Choi, Seung Hak

    2012-01-01

    . The successful use of membranes in membrane reactors is primary the result of two developments concerning: (i) membrane materials and (ii) membrane structures. The selection of a suited material and preparation technique depends on the application the membrane

  11. Membrane fouling related to microbial community and extracellular polymeric substances at different temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Da-Wen; Wen, Zhi-Dan; Li, Bao; Liang, Hong

    2013-09-01

    An anoxic-aerobic membrane bioreactor was established to investigate the role of microorganisms and microbial metabolites in membrane fouling at different temperatures. The results showed that the membrane fouling cycle at 303, 293, and 283 K were 30, 29, and 5.5 days, respectively. Polysaccharides dominated the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and soluble microbial products (SMP) at 303 and 293 K, instead, proteins was the predominant composition of metabolites at 283 K. The correlation coefficient (r(2)) was calculated to identify the relationship between temperature (T), filtration resistance (R) and compositions of EPS and SMP. In biocake, the EPS polysaccharides (EPSc) was the most correlative factor to temperature (T) and filtration resistance (R); in mixed liquor, the ratio of SMP polysaccharides to proteins (SMPc/p) was the most correlative factor. The microbial community structure and the dominant species was the major reason causing the change of EPS and SMP composition. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Potentiometric determination of molybdenum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rusina, O.N.; Gorbatkova, B.Kh.

    1977-01-01

    Potentiometric titration by lead acetate is used to determine molybdenum in the form of molybdate ions. The behaviour of bimetallic electrode couples, i.e. tungsten-lead, platinum-lead, lead-carbon electrode, molybdenum-carbon electrode platinum-molibdenum has been investigated. The greatest jump of the potential in the finite point is observed for platinum-molybdenum electrode couple (150 mV/ml at pH 4.0-5.5). The limiting concentration of molybdenum in potentiometric titration by lead acetate is 2.8x10 -4 M. The measurements are accurate to within +-0.1%

  13. Potentiometric titration of plutonium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silver, G.L.

    1978-01-01

    In the potentiometric titration of plutonium(III), it has been customary to take the equivalence point as the inflection point on a plot of potential vs. volume of titrant. It have not been, however, demonstrated, that the stoichiometric end point corresponds to the inflection point. Suggestions are made according to which these points may not correspond in the potentiometric titration of plutonium(III), as these titrations are ordinarily concluded in a period of time which is short compared to the time required for valence state rearrangement through disproportionation. (T.G.)

  14. Influence of casein on flux and passage of serum proteins during microfiltration using polymeric spiral-wound membranes at 50°C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zulewska, Justyna; Barbano, David M

    2013-04-01

    Raw milk (approximately 1,800 kg) was separated at 4°C, pasteurized (at 72°C for 16s), and split into 2 batches. One batch (620 kg) was microfiltered (MF) using pilot-scale ceramic uniform transmembrane pressure Membralox membranes (model EP1940GL0.1 μA, 0.1-μm alumina; Pall Corp., East Hills, NY) to produce retentate and permeate. The permeate from the MF uniform transmembrane pressure was casein-free skim milk (CFSM). The CFSM was MF using polymeric spiral-wound (SW) membranes (model FG7838-OS0x-S, 0.3 μm; Parker-Hannifin Corp., Process Advanced Filtration Division, Tell City, IN) at a concentration factor of 3× and temperature of 50°C. Following the processing of CFSM, the second batch of skim milk (1,105 kg) was processed using the same polymeric membranes to determine how casein content in the feed material for MF with polymeric membranes affects the performance of the system. There was little resistance to passage of milk serum proteins (SP) through a 0.3-μm polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) SW membrane at 50°C and no detectable increase in hydraulic resistance of the membrane when processing CFSM. Therefore, milk SP contributed little, if any, to fouling of the PVDF membrane. In contrast, when processing skim milk containing a normal concentration of casein, the flux was much lower than when processing CFSM (17.2 vs. 80.2 kg/m(2) per hour, respectively) and the removal of SP from skim milk with a single-pass 3× bleed-and-feed MF system was also much lower than from CFSM (35.2 vs. 59.5% removal, respectively). Thus, when processing skim milk with a PVDF SW membrane, casein was the major protein foulant that increased hydraulic resistance and reduced passage of SP through the membrane. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Preparation of high-capacity, weak anion-exchange membranes by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) and subsequent derivatization with diethylamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qian, Xiaolei; Fan, Hua; Wang, Chaozhan; Wei, Yinmao

    2013-01-01

    Ion-exchange membrane is of importance for the development of membrane chromatography. In this work, a high-capacity anion-exchange membrane was prepared by grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto the surface of regenerated cellulose (RC) membranes via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) and subsequent derivatization with diethylamine. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize changes in the chemical functionality, surface topography and pore morphology of the modified membranes. The static capacity of the prepared anion-exchange membrane was evaluated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. The results indicated that the anion-exchange membrane which could reach a maximum capacity of 96 mg/mL for static adsorption possesses a higher adsorption capacity, and the adsorption capacity increases with the polymerization time. The effect of pH and salt concentration confirmed that the adsorption of BSA followed ion-exchange mechanism. The established method would have potential application in the preparation of anion-exchange membrane.

  16. Surface modification of poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane with hydrophilic and anti-fouling performance via a two-step polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Gui-E; Sun, Li; Huang, Hui-Hong; Liu, Yan-Jun [Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai (China); Xu, Zhen-Liang; Yang, Hu [East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai (China)

    2015-12-15

    The surface modification of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane was performed via a two-step polymerization reactions. Poly (acrylic acid) (PAAc) was first grafted onto the membrane surface for the preparation of PVDF-g-PAAc membrane, and then poly (ethylene glycol) 200 (PEG 200) was immobilized on the membrane surface by the esterification reaction for the fabrication of PVDF-g-PEGA membrane. Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and protein adsorption, water flux, water content and dynamic contact angle were conducted to characterize the structures and performance of the resultant PVDF membranes. The experimental results showed that the adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the PVDF-g-PEGA membrane decreased about 80% when the grafting ratio reached to 15 wt%, compared with the pristine PVDF membrane. Moreover, the water contact angle of the membrane dropped to 60.5o, while the membrane pore sizes remained little changed.

  17. Novel Tertiary Amino Containing Blinding Composite Membranes via Raft Polymerization and Their Preliminary CO2 Permeation Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Lifang; Zhou, Mali; Yang, Shanshan; Shen, Jiangnan

    2015-04-23

    Facile synthesis of poly (N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) star polymers on the basis of the prepolymer chains, PDMAEMA as the macro chain transfer agent and divinyl benzene (DVB) as the cross-linking reagent by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was described. The RAFT polymerizations of DMAEMA at 70 °C using four RAFT agents with different R and Z group were investigated. The RAFT agents used in these polymerizations were dibenzyl trithiocarbonate (DBTTC), s-1-dodecyl-s'-(α,α'-dimethyl-α-acetic acid) trithiocarbonate (MTTCD), s,s'-bis (2-hydroxyethyl-2'-dimethylacrylate) trithiocarbonate (BDATC) and s-(2-cyanoprop-2-yl)-s-dodecyltrithiocarbonate (CPTCD). The results indicated that the structure of the end-group of RAFT agents had significant effects on the ability to control polymerization. Compared with the above-mentioned RAFT agents, CPTCD provides better control over the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. The polydispersity index (PDI) was determined to be within the scope of 1.26 to 1.36. The yields, molecular weight, and distribution of the star polymers can be tuned by changing the molar ratio of DVB/PDMAEMA-CPTCD. The chemical composition and structure of the linear and star polymers were characterized by GPC, FTIR, 1H NMR, XRD analysis. For the pure Chitosan membrane, a great improvement was observed for both CO₂ permeation rate and ideal selectivity of the blending composite membrane upon increasing the content of SPDMAEMA-8. At a feed gas pressure of 37.5 cmHg and 30 °C, the blinding composite membrane (Cs: SPDMAEMA-8 = 4:4) has a CO₂ permeation rate of 8.54 × 10⁻⁴ cm³ (STP) cm⁻²∙s⁻¹∙cm∙Hg⁻¹ and a N₂ permeation rate of 6.76 × 10⁻⁵ cm³ (STP) cm⁻²∙s⁻¹∙cm∙Hg⁻¹, and an ideal CO₂/N₂ selectivity of 35.2.

  18. Iodide selective membrane electrodes based on a Molybdenum-Salen as a neutral carrier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghanei-Motlagh, Masoud; Taher, Mohammad Ali; Ahmadi, Kyoumars; Sheikhshoaie, Iran

    2011-01-01

    A new polymeric membrane electrode (PME) and a coated platinum disk electrode (CPtE) based on Schiff base complex of Mo(VI) as a suitable carrier for I - ion were described. The influence of membrane composition, pH and possible interfering anions were investigated on the response properties of the electrodes. The electrodes exhibited a Nernstian slope of 63.0 ± 0.5 (CPtE) and 60.3 ± 0.4 (PME) mV decade -1 in I - ion over a wide concentration range from 7.9 x 10 -7 to 1.0 x 10 -1 M for CPtE and 9.1 x 10 -6 to 1.0 x 10 -1 M I - for PME. The potentiometric response of the electrodes was independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 2.0-8.5 with a fast response time ( - . → The sensors have a wide concentration range with a fast response time. → Efforts have been made to improve the selectivity with the use of CPtE.

  19. New potentiometric sensor based on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles for cocaine detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smolinska-Kempisty, K; Ahmad, O Sheej; Guerreiro, A; Karim, K; Piletska, E; Piletsky, S

    2017-10-15

    Here we present a potentiometric sensor for cocaine detection based on molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) produced by the solid-phase imprinting method. The composition of polymers with high affinity for cocaine was optimised using molecular modelling. Four compositions were selected and polymers prepared using two protocols: chemical polymerisation in water and UV-initiated polymerisation in organic solvent. All synthesised nanoparticles had very good affinity to cocaine with dissociation constants between 0.6nM and 5.3nM. Imprinted polymers produced in organic solvent using acrylamide as a functional monomer demonstrated the highest yield and affinity, and so were selected for further sensor development. For this, nanoparticles were incorporated within a PVC matrix which was then used to prepare an ion-selective membrane integrated with a potentiometric transducer. It was demonstrated that the sensor was able to quantify cocaine in blood serum samples in the range of concentrations between 1nM and 1mM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Impact of polymeric membrane breakage on drinking water quality and an online detection method of the breakage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Qilong; Zhang, Zhenghua; Cao, Guodong; Zhang, Xihui

    2017-10-15

    Polymeric membrane has been widely used for the treatment of drinking water in China, and the total treating capacity has reached up to 3.8 million m 3 /d. However, the membrane breakage found in the membrane modules in many water treatment plants resulted in an increase in turbidity and bacterial amount in the membrane permeate. In this study, a membrane module running for 3 years in a full-scale application was examined in terms of the breaking positions and the numbers of the broken fibers. It was found that most of the breaking positions were mainly on the outlet side of the module and that the distance from these points to the outlet was about 1/10-2/10 length of the membrane module. The lab-scale tests showed that the increase of the numbers of the breaking fibers in the membrane module (the breaking fibers were from 1 to 4 of 75 fibers) resulted in the increase in turbidity, particle count and the amount of total bacteria and coliform bacteria. Meanwhile, the water quality after the filtration with broken membrane fibers was similar to the quality of the raw water, which indicated that once the membrane fiber breakage occurred in the membrane module, the quality of drinking water after membrane filtration was significantly affected. Furthermore, the breaking position closer to the outlet side of the membrane module exposed much higher microbiological risk than those in the middle or near the bottom side. A pilot scale test was conducted by using a membrane module with 6600 fibers, and the effect of the membrane breakage (1-4 broken fibers) on water quality was also investigated. The results indicated that periodical backwashing caused drastic fluctuation of turbidity, particle count and the bacterial amount in the permeate water, which might be due to the washing force and self-blocking action inside the hollow fibers. Moreover, there is a good quantitative relationship (R 2 = 0.945) between particle count and the bacterial amount, which indicated that an

  1. Impact of polymeric membrane filtration of oil sands process water on organic compounds quantification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moustafa, Ahmed M A; Kim, Eun-Sik; Alpatova, Alla; Sun, Nian; Smith, Scott; Kang, Seoktae; Gamal El-Din, Mohamed

    2014-01-01

    The interaction between organic fractions in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) and three polymeric membranes with varying hydrophilicity (nylon, polyvinylidene fluoride and polytetrafluoroethylene) at different pHs was studied to evaluate the impact of filtration on the quantification of acid-extractable fraction (AEF) and naphthenic acids (NAs). Four functional groups predominated in OSPW (amine, phosphoryl, carboxyl and hydroxyl) as indicated by the linear programming method. The nylon membranes were the most hydrophilic and exhibited the lowest AEF removal at pH of 8.7. However, the adsorption of AEF on the membranes increased as the pH of OSPW decreased due to hydrophobic interactions between the membrane surfaces and the protonated molecules. The use of ultra pressure liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC/HRMS) showed insignificant adsorption of NAs on the tested membranes at pH 8.7. However, 26±2.4% adsorption of NAs was observed at pH 5.3 following the protonation of NAs species. For the nylon membrane, excessive carboxylic acids in the commercial NAs caused the formation of negatively charged assisted hydrogen bonds, resulting in increased adsorption at pH 8.2 (25%) as compared to OSPW (0%). The use of membranes for filtration of soluble compounds from complex oily wastewaters before quantification analysis of AEF and NAs should be examined prior to application.

  2. Data supporting the validation of a simulation model for multi-component gas separation in polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giordano, Lorena; Roizard, Denis; Bounaceur, Roda; Favre, Eric

    2016-12-01

    The article describes data concerning the separation performances of polymeric hollow-fiber membranes. The data were obtained using a model for simulating gas separation, described in the research article entitled "Interplay of inlet temperature and humidity on energy penalty for CO 2 post-combustion capture: rigorous analysis and simulation of a single stage gas permeation process" (L. Giordano, D. Roizard, R. Bounaceur, E. Favre, 2016) [1]. The data were used to validate the model by comparison with literature results. Considering a membrane system based on feed compression only, data from the model proposed and that from literature were compared with respect to the molar composition of permeate stream, the membrane area and specific energy requirement, varying the feed pressure and the CO 2 separation degree.

  3. Development of double chain phosphatidylcholine functionalized polymeric monoliths for immobilized artificial membrane chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qiqin; Peng, Kun; Chen, Weijia; Cao, Zhen; Zhu, Peijie; Zhao, Yumei; Wang, Yuqiang; Zhou, Haibo; Jiang, Zhengjin

    2017-01-06

    This study described a simple synthetic methodology for preparing biomembrane mimicking monolithic column. The suggested approach not only simplifies the preparation procedure but also improves the stability of double chain phosphatidylcholine (PC) functionalized monolithic column. The physicochemical properties of the optimized monolithic column were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and nano-LC. Satisfactory column permeability, efficiency, stability and reproducibility were obtained on this double chain PC functionalized monolithic column. It is worth noting that the resulting polymeric monolith exhibits great potential as a useful alternative of commercial immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) columns for in vitro predication of drug-membrane interactions. Furthermore, the comparative study of both double chain and single chain PC functionalized monoliths indicates that the presence or absence of glycerol backbone and the number of acyl chains are not decisive for the predictive ability of IAM monoliths on drug-membrane interactions. This novel PC functionalized monolithic column also exhibited good selectivity for a protein mixture and a set of pharmaceutical compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Impedance study of the ion-to-electron transduction process for carbon cloth as solid-contact material in potentiometric ion sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mattinen, Ulriika; Rabiej, Sylwia; Lewenstam, Andrzej; Bobacka, Johan

    2011-01-01

    Carbon cloth was studied as solid-contact material in potentiometric ion sensors by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiometry. The ion-to-electron transduction process was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy by using a two-electrode symmetrical cell where a liquid electrolyte was sandwiched between two solid electrodes, including bare glassy carbon (GC), GC/carbon cloth and GC/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene). Impedance data for different electrode/electrolyte combinations were evaluated and compared. Solid-contact K + -selective electrodes were fabricated by coating the carbon cloth with a conventional plasticized PVC-based K + -selective membrane via drop casting. These K + -sensors showed proper analytical performance and acceptable long-term potential stability (potential drift ≈ 1 mV/day). Solid contact reference electrodes were fabricated in an analogous manner by coating the carbon cloth with a plasticized PVC membrane containing a moderately lipophilic salt. The results indicate that carbon cloth can be used as a solid-contact material in potentiometric ion sensors and pseudo-reference electrodes.

  5. A vibrating membrane bioreactor (VMBR): Macromolecular transmission-influence of extracellular polymeric substances

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beier, Søren; Jonsson, Gunnar Eigil

    2009-01-01

    The vibrating membrane bioreactor (VMBR) system facilitates the possibility of conducting a separation of macromolecules (BSA) from larger biological components (yeast cells) with a relatively high and stable macromolecular transmission at sub-critical flux. This is not possible to achieve...... for a static non-vibrating membrane module. A BSA transmission of 74% has been measured in the separation of 4g/L BSA from 8 g/L dry weight yeast cells in suspension at sub-critical flux (20L/(m(2) h)). However, this transmission is lower than the 85% BSA transmission measured for at pure 4g/L BSA solution....... This can be ascribed to the presence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from the yeast cells. The initial fouling rate for constant sub-critical flux filtration of unwashed yeast cells is 3-4 times larger than for washed yeast cells (18(mbar/h)/5(mbar/h)). At sub-critical flux, an EPS transmission...

  6. Electron paramagnetic resonance spin label titration: a novel method to investigate random and site-specific immobilization of enzymes onto polymeric membranes with different properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butterfield, D. Allan; Colvin, Joshua; Liu Jiangling; Wang Jianquan; Bachas, Leonidas; Bhattacharrya, Dibakar

    2002-01-01

    The immobilization of biological molecules onto polymeric membranes to produce biofunctional membranes is used for selective catalysis, separation, analysis, and artificial organs. Normally, random immobilization of enzymes onto polymeric membranes leads to dramatic reduction in activity due to chemical reactions involved in enzyme immobilization, multiple-point binding, etc., and the extent of activity reduction is a function of membrane hydrophilicity (e.g. activity in cellulosic membrane >> polysulfone membrane). We have used molecular biology to effect site-specific immobilization of enzymes in a manner that orients the active site away from the polymeric membrane surface, thus resulting in higher enzyme activity that approaches that in solution and in increased stability of the enzyme relative to the enzyme in solution. A prediction of this site-specific method of enzyme immobilization, which in this study with subtilisin and organophosphorus hydrolase consists of a fusion tag genetically added to these enzymes and subsequent immobilization via the anti-tag antibody and membrane-bound protein A, is that the active site conformation will more closely resemble that of the enzyme in solution than is the case for random immobilization. This hypothesis was confirmed using a new electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin label active site titration method that determines the amount of spin label bound to the active site of the immobilized enzyme. This value nearly perfectly matched the enzyme activity, and the results suggested: (a) a spectroscopic method for measuring activity and thus the extent of active enzyme immobilization in membrane, which may have advantages in cases where optical methods can not be used due to light scattering interference; (b) higher spin label incorporation (and hence activity) in enzymes that had been site-specifically immobilized versus random immobilization; (c) higher spin label incorporation in enzymes immobilized onto hydrophilic

  7. Macrovoid Defect Growth during Evaporative Casting of Polymeric Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenberg, A. R.; Khare, V. P.; Zartman, J.; Krantz, W. B.; Todd, P.

    2003-01-01

    Macrovoid (MV) formation is a significant problem in evaporatively cast polymeric membranes. MVs are large, elongated or teardrop-shaped pores (10-50 micron) that can impair membrane structural integrity. Although MVs have been extensively studied, there is no general agreement on the mechanisms governing MV growth. Recently, our research group has formulated the solutocapillary convection (SC) hypothesis, which contends that MV growth involves three principal forces: a Marangoni force generated by surface tension gradients within the MV interface, a viscous drag force, and a gravitationally induced body force. Two sets of complementary experiments were conducted to test the SC hypothesis. Ground-based videomicroscopy flow-visualization (VMFV) was utilized to measure the flow velocities at the MV-casting solution interface and deep within the casting solution. The measurements were performed with casting solutions containing 10 wt% cellulose acetate (CA), 30 wt% H2O, 60 wt% acetone, and 200- ppm TiO2 particles for flow visualization, and the surface tension was controlled by surfactant addition. Qualitatively, the experiments indicated that MV growth occurs in three distinct phases: (1) a very rapid initial growth period, (2) a much slower growth phase, and (3) absorption of selected MVs into the expanding demixed region. The presence of tracer particles inside the MVs suggests the presence of a convective flow, which transfers the particles from the bulk solution to the MV interior. Although the VMFV experiments did not establish any surfactant effect on the interfacial velocities, a statistically significant effect on the MV number density was observed. In the second set of experiments, membranes were cast aboard a KC-135 aircraft under 0-g and 2-g conditions. Despite careful attention to the design and fabrication of the membrane casting apparatus (MCA), several problems were encountered, the most significant of which was the contamination of the casting

  8. A polymeric membrane ion selective electrode based on organic-inorganic composite ion exchanger for the determination of thorium(IV)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandra, Sulekh; Agarwal, Himanshu; Chandan Kumar, Singh; Sindhu, Susheel Kumar; Pankaj Kumar

    2005-01-01

    A poly(vinyl chloride) membrane electrode based on organic- inorganic composite ion exchanger, tin(IV) tungstoselenate-pyridine, has been prepared and tested for the selective determination of thorium(IV) ions. The PVC membrane electrode comprising 16% composite ion exchanger as the electroactive phase, 50% o-dioctyl phthalate as plasticizer, 4% tetraphenyl borate as anionic excluder and 30% poly(vinylchloride) displays a linear response to thorium(IV) ions over a wide concentration range of 1.0 x 10 -1 -8.0 x 10 -6 M with a Nernstain slope of 14.2 mV/ decade. The electrode shows a very short response time (∼15 s) and may be used in the pH range 2.5-9.0. The selectivity coefficient for alkali, alkaline earth and transition is smaller than 4.0 x 10 -4 . The sensor has been successfully used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Th 4+ with EDTA as well as also for the determination of Th 4+ in the binary mixtures. (author)

  9. A highly sensitive PVC membrane iodide electrode based on complexes of mercury(II) as neutral carrier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chai, Y-Q; Yuan, R; Xu, L; Xu, W-J; Dai, J-Y; Jiang, F

    2004-09-01

    A novel solvent polymeric membrane electrode based on bis(1,3,4-thiadiazole) complexes of Hg(II) is described which has excellent selectivity and sensitivity toward iodide ion. The electrode, containing 1,4-bis(5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl-thio)butanemercury(II) [Hg(II)BMTB(NO3)4], has a Nernstian potentiometric response from 2.0 x 10(-8) to 2.0 x 10(-2) mol L(-1) with a detection limit of 8.0 x 10(-9) mol L(-1) and a slope of -59.0+/-0.5 mV/decade in 0.01 mol L(-1) phosphate buffer solution (pH 3.0, 20 degrees C). The selectivity sequence observed is iodide>bromide>thiocyanate>nitrite>nitrate>chloride>perchlorate>acetate>sulfate. The selectivity behavior is discussed in terms of the UV-Vis spectrum, and the process of transfer of iodide across the membrane interface is investigated by use of the AC impedance technique. The electrode was successfully applied to the determination of iodide in Jialing River and Spring in Jinyun Mountains, with satisfactory results.

  10. Optimization of polymeric triiodide membrane electrode based on clozapine-triiodide ion-pair using experimental design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farhadi, Khalil; Bahram, Morteza; Shokatynia, Donya; Salehiyan, Floria

    2008-07-15

    Central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM) were developed as experimental strategies for modeling and optimization of the influence of some variables on the performance of a new PVC membrane triiodide ion-selective electrode. This triiodide sensor is based on triiodide-clozapine ion-pair complexation. PVC, plasticizers, ion-pair amounts and pH were investigated as four variables to build a model to achieve the best Nernstian slope (59.9 mV) as response. The electrode is prepared by incorporating the ion-exchanger in PVC matrix plasticized with 2-nitrophenyl octal ether, which is directly coated on the surface of a graphite electrode. The influence of foreign ions on the electrode performance was also investigated. The optimized membranes demonstrate Nernstian response for triiodide ions over a wide linear range from 5.0 x 10(-6) to 1.0 x 10(-2)mol L(-1) with a limit of detection 2.0 x 10(-6) mol L(-1) at 25 degrees C. The electrodes could be used over a wide pH range 4-8, and have the advantages of easy to prepare, good selectivity and fast response time, long lifetime (over 3 months) and small interferences from hydrogen ion. The proposed electrode was successfully used as indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of triiodide ions and ascorbic acid.

  11. The Potentiometric Titration of Filtrates from the Bachmann Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    1942-06-23

    SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOP11ENT The Potentiometric Titration of Filtrates from the Bachmann Process (OD-12) by F. C. Whitmore OSRD No. 654... Potentiometric Titration of Synthetic Mixtures. A? Nitric Acid-Acetic Acid. A sample of 60 ml. glacial acetic acid war diluted to 200 ml. with distilled...i4flinflr?fj3 TADLE 1 CO) |S?lDBnTl» POTENTIOMETRIC TITRATION OF SYNTHETIC t’.IXTURES WITH CONCENTRATED AJKDNIUM HYDROXIDE A; unonium HNO-j- AcOfi Ky

  12. Single-molecule resolution of protein dynamics on polymeric membrane surfaces: the roles of spatial and population heterogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langdon, Blake B; Mirhossaini, Roya B; Mabry, Joshua N; Sriram, Indira; Lajmi, Ajay; Zhang, Yanxia; Rojas, Orlando J; Schwartz, Daniel K

    2015-02-18

    Although polymeric membranes are widely used in the purification of protein pharmaceuticals, interactions between biomolecules and membrane surfaces can lead to reduced membrane performance and damage to the product. In this study, single-molecule fluorescence microscopy provided direct observation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human monoclonal antibody (IgG) dynamics at the interface between aqueous buffer and polymeric membrane materials including regenerated cellulose and unmodified poly(ether sulfone) (PES) blended with either polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl acetate-co-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVAc-PVP), or polyethylene glycol methacrylate (PEGM) before casting. These polymer surfaces were compared with model surfaces composed of hydrophilic bare fused silica and hydrophobic trimethylsilane-coated fused silica. At extremely dilute protein concentrations (10(-3)-10(-7) mg/mL), protein surface exchange was highly dynamic with protein monomers desorbing from the surface within ∼1 s after adsorption. Protein oligomers (e.g., nonspecific dimers, trimers, or larger aggregates), although less common, remained on the surface for 5 times longer than monomers. Using newly developed super-resolution methods, we could localize adsorption sites with ∼50 nm resolution and quantify the spatial heterogeneity of the various surfaces. On a small anomalous subset of the adsorption sites, proteins adsorbed preferentially and tended to reside for significantly longer times (i.e., on "strong" sites). Proteins resided for shorter times overall on surfaces that were more homogeneous and exhibited fewer strong sites (e.g., PVAc-PVP/PES). We propose that strong surface sites may nucleate protein aggregation, initiated preferentially by protein oligomers, and accelerate ultrafiltration membrane fouling. At high protein concentrations (0.3-1.0 mg/mL), fewer strong adsorption sites were observed, and surface residence times were reduced. This suggests that at high concentrations

  13. Potentiometric chemical sensors from lignin-poly(propylene oxide) copolymers doped by carbon nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudnitskaya, Alisa; Evtuguin, Dmitry V; Costa, Luis C; Graça, M Pedro F; Fernandes, António J S; Correia, M Rosario P; Gomes, M Teresa S R; Oliveira, J A B P

    2013-01-21

    Hardwood and softwood lignins obtained from industrial sulphite and kraft and laboratory oxygen-organosolv pulping processes were employed in co-polymerization with tolylene 2,4-diisocyanate terminated poly(propylene glycol). The obtained lignin-based polyurethanes were doped with 0.72 w/w% of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with the aim of increasing their electrical conductivity to the levels suitable for sensor applications. Effects of the polymer doping with MWCNTs were assessed using electrical impedance (EIS) and UV-Resonance Raman (UV-RR) spectroscopy. Potentiometric sensors were prepared by drop casting of liquid polymer on the surface of carbon glass or platinum electrodes. Lignin-based sensors displayed a very low or no sensitivity to all alkali, alkali-earth and transition metal cations ions except Cr(VI) at pH 2. Response to Cr(VI) values of 39, 50 and 53 mV pX(-1) for the sensors based on kraft, organosolv and lignosulphonate lignins, respectively, were observed. Redox sensitivity values close to the theoretical values of 20 and 21 mV pX(-1) for organosolv and lignosulphonate based sensors respectively were detected in the Cr(III)/Cr(VI) solutions while a very low response was observed in the solutions containing Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-). Conducting composite lignin-based polyurethanes doped with MWCNTs were suggested as being promising materials for Cr(VI)-sensitive potentiometric sensors.

  14. Miniaturized membrane sensors for potentiometric determination of metoprolol tartrate and hydrochlorothiazide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramadan, Nesrin K; Mohamed, Heba M; Mostafa, Azza A

    2012-06-01

    Four microsized graphite and platinum wire poly(vinyl chloride) matrix membrane electrodes responsive to some drugs affecting cardiovascular system, Metoprolol tartrate (MT) and Hydrochlorothiazide (HZ) were developed, described and characterized. These sensors were constructed by using (2-Hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (2HP β-CD) as an ionophore which has a significant influence on increasing both membrane sensitivity and selectivity. The four sensors were fabricated in a polymeric matrix of carboxylated polyvinyl chloride (PVC-COOH) and dioctylphthalate (DOP) as a plasticizer, based on the interaction between the drugs and the dissociated COOH groups in the PVC-COOH. Fast and stable Nernstian responses of 1.0 × 10-6-1.0 × 10-2 M for MT (sensors 1 and 2) and of 1.0 × 10-7-1.0 × 10-3 M for HZ (sensors 3 and 4) over pH range 3.0-9.0 and 3.0-7.0 for the MT and HZ sensors respectively were obtained. Nernstian slopes of 56.2, 54.6, 19.0 and 20.8 mV/decade for electrodes 1-4 respectively were observed. The proposed method displayed useful analytical characteristics for the determination of MT and HZ in their pure powder forms with average recoveries of 99.11 ± 0.357, 99.21 ± 0.389, 100.08 ± 0.459 and 100.28 ± 0.438% for sensors 1-4 respectively. The lower limit of detection (LOD) were 5.5 × 10-6, 4.5 × 10-6, 4.8 × 10-8 and 5.0 × 10-8 M for sensors 1-4 respectively indicated high sensitivity. The four sensors displayed a good stability over a period of 6 weeks. The selectivity coefficients of the developed sensors indicated excellent selectivity. Results obtained by the four electrodes revealed the performance characteristics of these electrodes which evaluated according to IUPAC recommendations. The method was successively applied for the determination of MT and HZ in presence of each other, in presence of Salamide (SA), the main degradation product of HZ, in their pharmaceutical formulations and in human plasma samples. Statistical comparison between the

  15. PVC-Membrane Potentiometric Electrochemical Sensor Based on 2-(4-Oxopentan-2-ylideneaminoisoindoline-1,3-dione for Selective Determination of Holmium(III

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Ali Zamani

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available 2-(4-Oxopentan-2-ylideneamino isoindoline-1,3-dione (OID was found to be a suitable neutral ionophore in the fabrication of a highly selective Ho3+ membrane sensor. The electrode has a near-Nernstian slope of 19.6±0.5 mV per decade with a wide concentration range between 1.0×10-6 and 1.0×10-2 mol/L in the pH range of 3.5–8.8, having a fast response time (∼5 s and a detection limit of 5.8×10-7 mol/L. This electrode presented very good selectivity and sensitivity towards the Ho3+ ions over a wide variety of cations, including alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The practical utility of the electrode has been demonstrated by its use as an indicator electrode for the potentiometric titration of a Ho3+ solution with EDTA and for the determination of Ho3+ ions concentration in mixtures of two and three different ions.

  16. Radiation chemistry of polymeric system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Machi, Sueo; Ishigaki, Isao

    1978-01-01

    Among wide application of radiation in the field of polymer chemistry, practices of polymerization, graft polymerization, bridging, etc. are introduced hereinafter. As for the radiation sources of radiation polymerization, in addition to the 60 Co-γ ray with long permeation distance which has been usually applied, electron beam accelerators with high energy, large current and high reliability have come to be produced, and the liquid phase polymerization by electron beam has attracted attention industrially. Concerning polymerizing reactions, explanations were given to electron beam polymerization under high dose rate, the polymerization in supercooling state or under high pressure, and emulsifying polymerization. As for radiation bridging, radiation is applied for the bridging of hydrogel, acceleration of bridging and improvement of radiation resistance. It is also utilized for reforming membranes by graft polymerization, and synthesis of polymers for medical use. Application of fixed enzymes in the medical field has been investigated by fixing various enzymes by low temperature γ-ray polymerization with glassy monomers such as HEMA. (Kobatake, H.)

  17. Grafting study of polysulfone polymeric membranes by gamma ray irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furtado Filho, Acacio A.M.; Gomes, Ailton de S.

    2011-01-01

    Radiation-induced grafting of styrene poli sulfone films were investigated by simultaneous method in solution using gamma-ray from a radio nuclide 60 Co source. The gamma-ray energy of high intensity induced breaking of chemical bonds leading to free radical formation. The radical start a conventional polymerization sequence comparable with that obtained with a chemical catalyst acting as initiator. The effects of grafting conditions such as irradiation total dose, dose rate and addition of cross linking agent, were studied by means of morphology analysis, thermal degradation and crystallinity. After the grafting reaction, the membranes were submitted to an exhaustive extraction with solvent to remove the polystyrene homopolymer formed. The degree of grafting (DOG) was analyzed by percentage of weight increase. As a result, the reaction always follows the same pattern: DOG increases rapidly initially whilst propagation is the main reaction, then more slowly as termination becomes more frequent. (author)

  18. Temperature responsive track membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omichi, H.; Yoshido, M.; Asano, M.; Tamada, H.

    1994-01-01

    A new track membrane was synthesized by introducing polymeric hydrogel to films. Such a monomer as amino acid group containing acryloyl or methacryloyl was either co-polymerized with diethylene glycol-bis-ally carbonate followed by on beam irradiation and chemical etching, or graft co-polymerized onto a particle track membrane of CR-39. The pore size was controlled in water by changing the water temperature. Some films other than CR-39 were also examined. (author). 11 refs, 7 figs

  19. Selectively gas-permeable composite membrane and process for production thereof

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okita, K.; Asako, S.

    1984-01-01

    A selectively gas-permeable composite membrane and a process for producing said composite membrane are described. The composite membrane comprises a polymeric material support and a thin membrane deposited on the support, said thin membrane being obtained by glow discharge plasma polymerization of an organosilane compound containing at least one double bond or triple bond. Alternatively, the composite membrane comprises a polymeric material support having an average pore diameter of at least 0.1 micron, a hardened or cross-linked polyorganosiloxane layer on the support, and a thin membrane on the polyorganosiloxane layer, said thin membrane being obtained by plasma polymerization due to glow discharge of an organosilane compound containing at least one double bond or triple bond

  20. The influence of polymeric membrane gas spargers on hydrodynamics and mass transfer in bubble column bioreactors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tirunehe, Gossaye; Norddahl, B

    2016-04-01

    Gas sparging performances of a flat sheet and tubular polymeric membranes were investigated in 3.1 m bubble column bioreactor operated in a semi batch mode. Air-water and air-CMC (Carboxymethyl cellulose) solutions of 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 % w/w were used as interacting gas-liquid mediums. CMC solutions were employed in the study to simulate rheological properties of bioreactor broth. Gas holdup, bubble size distribution, interfacial area and gas-liquid mass transfer were studied in the homogeneous bubbly flow hydrodynamic regime with superficial gas velocity (U(G)) range of 0.0004-0.0025 m/s. The study indicated that the tubular membrane sparger produced the highest gas holdup and densely populated fine bubbles with narrow size distribution. An increase in liquid viscosity promoted a shift in bubble size distribution to large stable bubbles and smaller specific interfacial area. The tubular membrane sparger achieved greater interfacial area and an enhanced overall mass transfer coefficient (K(L)a) by a factor of 1.2-1.9 compared to the flat sheet membrane.

  1. Influence of morphology and topography on potentiometric response of magnesium and calcium sensitive PEDOT films doped with adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paczosa-Bator, B.; Peltonen, J.; Bobacka, J.; Lewenstam, A.

    2006-01-01

    Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) films doped with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) are used to study the biologically relevant competitive magnesium and calcium ion-exchange at ATP membrane sites. It is shown, by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), that the surface topography and morphology of the PEDOT-ATP films determines the quality of their potentiometric response. More smooth and less rough films result in better potentiometric characteristics, particularly in a faster response. The topography/morphology of the PEDOT-ATP films is influenced by conditions during electrodeposition (electrochemical method of deposition, pH, concentration of electrolytes) and post-deposition soaking (including net-time of soaking), as evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX)

  2. Metalophthalocyanine complexes as ion-carriers in membrane-selective electrodes for detection of thiosalicylic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahrokhian, Saeed; Souri, Ali

    2004-01-01

    The potentiometric response properties of several PVC-based membrane electrodes using phthalocyanine complexes of aluminum (AlPc), nickel (NiPc) and copper (CuPc) as anion carriers, toward thiosalicylic acid (TSA) were investigated. The influences of lipophilic ionic additives (cationic and anionic) and the pH of the buffered solutions were used for the interpretation of the mechanism of the potentiometric response of sensors. The sensitivity, linear range, detection limit, and potentiometric selectivity of the membrane sensors show a considerable dependence on the nature of central metal of the ionophore. The membrane electrodes based on AlPc demonstrate sub-Nernstian responses toward TSA over the range of 0.01 to 1x10 -5 M. In the case of NiPc and CuPc as ionophores and in the presence of trioctylmethyl ammonium (TOMA + ) as a cationic additive, a Nernstian response could be established in a range of 4 orders of magnitudes of TSA concentration (0.01 to 1x10 -6 M). The results of potentiometric investigations revealed that from thermodynamic point of view, the axial coordination of thiosalicylate with the central metal of NiPc and CuPc is more efficient with respect to AlPc. This preference in response to TSA was discussed on the basis of the softness nature of NiPc and CuPc and more affinity for coordination with the thiolate group of thiosalicylate as a soft anion. These potentiometric sensors manifest prominent advantages of high selectivity for TSA over the various inorganic and organic anions, fast response times and micromolar detection limits and can be used over a wide pH range of 4.0-8.0. The prepared electrodes based on NiPc and CuPc were successfully applied in the potentiometric titration of sub-milimolar quantities of Hg 2+ in aqueous solutions and very good recovery results were obtained in these measurements. The results of complexometric studies between Hg 2+ and TSA using electrodes based on NiPc and CuPc as indicator electrodes were compared with

  3. Influence of temperature on radiation-induced graft polymerization of styrene onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) nuclear membranes and films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhitaryuk, N.I.; Shtan'ko, N.I.

    1989-01-01

    Temperature effect on kinetics of radiation-induced graft polymerization of styrene onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PETP) nuclear membranes with various parameters (pore diameter, the average distance between the pores) as well as onto PETP films with different thickness has been studied. Graft polymerization has been carried out by the methods of preirradiation in air and in vacuum. The overall activation energy of grafting as well as the activation energy of swelling of PETP in toluene has been obtained. It was found that in the method of preirradiation in vacuum the initial grafting rate in Arrhenius plot has two linear ranges. Activation energy in low temperature range correlates with activation energy of PETP swelling. Activation energy in high temperature range is determined by kinetics of graft polymerization in the method of preirradiation in air. Arrhenius plot of the initial grafting rate gives the activation energy that approximately corresponds to the initiation of grafting with oxyradicals. Dependence of PETP matrix critical thickness on temperature has also been obtained. The form of this dependence is identical to the one of the rate of graft polymerization. 33 refs.; 6 figs.; 2 tabs

  4. A novel polyester composite nanofiltration membrane formed by interfacial polymerization of pentaerythritol (PE) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Jun; Shi, Wenxin; Zhang, Lanhe; Zhang, Ruijun

    2017-09-01

    A novel polyester thin film composite nanofiltration (NF) membrane was prepared by interfacial polymerization of pentaerythritol (PE) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) on polyethersulfone (PES) supporting membrane. The performance of the polyester composite NF membrane was optimized by regulating the preparation parameters, including reaction time, pH of the aqueous phase solution, pentaerythritol concentration and TMC concentration. A series of characterization, including permeation experiments, attenuated total reflectance-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), zeta potential analyzer and chlorine resistance experiments, were employed to study the properties of the optimized membrane. The results showed that the optimized polyester composite NF membrane exhibited very high rejection of Na2SO4 (98.1%), but the water flux is relatively low (6.1 L/m2 h, 0.5 MPa, 25 °C). The order of salt rejections is Na2SO4 > MgSO4 > MgCl2 > NaCl, which indicated the membrane was negatively charged, just consistent with the membrane zeta potential results. After treating by NaClO solutions with different concentrations (100 ppm, 500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm, 3000 ppm) for 48 h, the results demonstrated that the polyester NF membrane had good chlorine resistance. Additionally, the polyester TFC NF membrane exhibits good long-term stability.

  5. Highly selective direct determination of chlorate ions by using a newly developed potentiometric electrode based on modified smectite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topcu, Cihan

    2016-12-01

    A novel polyvinyl chloride membrane chlorate (ClO 3 - ) selective electrode based on modified smectite was developed for the direct determination of chlorate ions and the potentiometric performance characteristics of its were examined. The best selectivity and sensitivity for chlorate ions were obtained for the electrode membrane containing ionophore/polyvinylchloride/o-nitrophenyloctylether in composition of 12/28/60 (w/w%). The proposed electrode showed a Nernstian response toward chlorate ions at pH=7 in the concentration range of 1×10 -7 -1×10 -1 M and the limit of detection was calculated as 9×10 -8 M from the constructed response plot. The linear slope of the electrode was -61±1mVdecade -1 for chlorate activity in the mentioned linear working range. The selectivity coefficients were calculated according to both the matched potential method and the separate solution method. The calculated selectivity coefficients showed that the electrode performed excellent selectivity for chlorate ions. The potentiometric response of electrode toward chlorate ions was found to be highly reproducible. The electrode potential was stable between pH=4-10 and it had a dynamic response time of <5s. The potentiometric behavior of the electrode in partial non-aqueous medium was also investigated and the obtained results (up to 5% (v/v) alcohol) were satisfactory. The proposed electrode was used during 15 weeks without any significant change in its potential response. Additionally, the electrode was very useful in water analysis studies such as dam water, river water, tap water, and swimming pool water where the direct determination of chlorate ions was required. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Polymeric membrane sensors based on Cd(II) Schiff base complexes for selective iodide determination in environmental and medicinal samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Ashok Kumar; Mehtab, Sameena

    2008-01-15

    The two cadmium chelates of schiff bases, N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,4-diaminobutane, (Cd-S(1)) and N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-3,4-diaminotoluene (Cd-S(2)), have been synthesized and explored as ionophores for preparing PVC-based membrane sensors selective to iodide(I) ion. Potentiometric investigations indicate high affinity of these receptors for iodide ion. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based membranes of Cd-S(1) and Cd-S(2) using as hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) cation discriminator and o-nitrophenyloctyl ether (o-NPOE), dibutylphthalate (DBP), acetophenone (AP) and tributylphosphate (TBP) as plasticizing solvent mediators were prepared and investigated as iodide-selective sensors. The best performance was shown by the membrane of composition (w/w) of (Cd-S(1)) (7%):PVC (31%):DBP (60%):HTAB (2%). The sensor works well over a wide concentration range 5.3x10(-7) to 1.0x10(-2)M with Nernstian compliance (59.2mVdecade(-1) of activity) within pH range 2.5-9.0 with a response time of 11s and showed good selectivity for iodide ion over a number of anions. The sensor exhibits adequate life (3 months) with good reproducibility (S.D.+/-0.24mV) and could be used successfully for the determination of iodide content in environmental water samples and mouth wash samples.

  7. Use of ion selective electrodes for potentiometric analysis of solutions containing cadmium and cyanide ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aleksandrov, V.V.; Glazkova, E.N.; Izmajlova, G.A.

    1988-01-01

    Technique for cadmium potentiometric determination in the cadmium-plating cyanide electrolyte, which countains Cd(CN) n 2-n (n=1,2,3,4) complexes, is developed. Reactions of cadmium precipitation in the form of diethyldithiocarbamate serve as the ground for determination technique. Polycrystalline membrane electrodes with hard contact are used as indicator electrodes. Pd, Ni, Cu, Ag do not interfere with cadmium determination, Fe, Zn, Bi may coprecipitate with cadmium. Determination limit of cadmium ions is 5x10 -3 M

  8. Silver ion recognition using potentiometric sensor based on recently synthesized isoquinoline-1,3-dione derivatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AJAR KAMAL

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The four derivatives of isoquinoline-1,3-dione based on β-lactum (I-IV, have been explored as neutral ionophores for preparing poly(vinylchloride based polymeric membrane electrodes (PME selective to silver(I ions. The addition of sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB and dioctylsebacate (DOS as a plasticizer was found to improve the performance of ion selective electrodes. The best performance was obtained with PME-1 based on ionophore I having composition: ionophore (9.2 mg, PVC (100.1 mg, DOS (201.1 mg and NaTPB (1.5 mg in 5 mL tetrahydrofuran. The electrode response was linear with Nernstian slope of 58.44 mV/decade in the concentration range of 1.0 x 10-1 M to 5.0 x 10-6 M and detection limit of 5.83 x 10-6 M. It performs satisfactorily over wide pH range of 1.0-5.5. The proposed sensor can be used over a period of more than three months without any significant drift in potential and shows good selectivity to silver(I ion over a number of cations especially with no interference of mercury(II ions. Sharp end point was obtained when the sensor was used as an indicator electrode for the potentiometric titration of silver(I ions with chloride ions and therefore this electrode (PME-1 could be used for quantitative determination of silver(I ion in synthetic water, silver foil and dental amalgam samples.

  9. New separation technique. Catalytically functionated separation membrane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Urgami, Tadashi [Kansai Univ., Osaka (Japan)

    1989-02-01

    This report introduces research examples, showing the fundamental principle of the membrane by separating the catalytically functionated separation membrane into enzyme fixing separation membrane, polymerized metal complex separation membrane and polymer catalyst separation membrane. This membrane can achieve both functions of separation and catalytic reaction simultaneously and has sufficient possibility to combine powerful functions. Enzyme fixing separation membrane is prepared by carrier combination method, bridging method or covering method and the enzyme fixing method with polymerized complex in which enzyme is controlled to prevent the activity lowering as much as possible and enzyme is fixed from an aqueous solution into polymer membrane. This membrane is applied to the continuous manufacturing of invert sugar from cane sugar and adsorption and removing of harmful substances from blood by utilizing both micro-capsuled urease and active carbon. Alginic acid-copper (II) complex membrane is used for the polymerized metal complex membrane and polystyrene sulfonate membrane is used for the polymer catalyst separation membrane. 28 refs., 4 figs., 1 tabs.

  10. New potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods for the determination of dextromethorphan in pharmaceutical preparations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elmosallamy, Mohamed A F; Amin, Alaa S

    2014-01-01

    New, simple and convenient potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods are described for the determination of dextromethorphan hydrobromide (DXM) in pharmaceutical preparations. The potentiometric technique is based on developing a potentiometric sensor incorporating the dextromethorphan tetrakis(p-chlorophenyl)borate ion-pair complex as an electroactive species in a plasticized PVC matrix membrane with o-nitophenyl octyl ether or dioctyl phthalate. The sensor shows a rapid near Nernstian response of over 1 × 10(-5) - 1 × 10(-2) mol L(-1) dextromethorphan in the pH range of 3.0 - 9.0. The detection limit is 2 × 10(-6) mol L(-1) DXM and the response time is instantaneous (2 s). The proposed spectrophotometric technique involves the reaction of DXM with eriochrom black T (EBT) to form an ion-associate complex. Solvent extraction is used to improve the selectivity of the method. The optimal extraction and reaction conditions have been studied, and the analytical characteristics of the method have been obtained. Linearity is obeyed in the range of 7.37 - 73.7 × 10(-5) mol L(-1) DXM, and the detection limit of the method is 1.29 × 10(-5) mol L(-1). The relative standard deviation (RSD) and relative error for six replicate measurements of 3.685 × 10(-4) mol L(-1) are 0.672 and 0.855%, respectively. The interference effect of some excepients has also been tested. The drug contents in pharmaceutical preparations were successfully determined by the proposed methods by applying the standard-addition technique.

  11. Highly selective potentiometric and colorimetric determinations of cobalt (II) ion using thiazole based ligands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singhal, Divya; Singh, Ashok Kumar; Upadhyay, Anjali

    2014-12-01

    New PVC-membrane electrodes were prepared by using 2-((thiazol-2-ylimino)methyl)phenol (L1) and 2-((thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)phenol (L2) and explored as Co(II) selective electrodes. The effect of various plasticizers and anion excluder was studied in detail and improved performance was observed. It was found that the electrode based on L1 shows better response characteristics in comparison to L2. Optimum performance was observed for the membrane electrode having a composition of L1:NaTPB:DBP:PVC≡2:8:78:62 (w/w, mg). The performance of PME based on L1 was compared with that of CGE. The electrodes exhibit Nernstian slope for Co(II) ions with a limit of detection of 6.91×10(-7) mol L(-1) for PME and 7.94×10(-8) mol L(-1) for CGE. The response time for PME and CGE was found to be 15s and 12 s respectively. The potentiometric responses are independent in the pH range 3.0-9.0 for CGE. The CGE could be used for a period of 90 days. The CGE was used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of EDTA with Co(2+) ion. Further the selectivity of the L1 and L2 was also confirmed by the UV-vis and colorimetric studies and found that L1 is more selective for Co(II) ion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Immobilization of β-galactosidase from Kluyveromyces lactis onto polymeric membrane surfaces: effect of surface characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Güleç, Hacı Ali

    2013-04-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of surface characteristics of plain and plasma modified cellulose acetate (CA) membranes on the immobilization yield of β-galactosidases from Kluyveromyces lactis (KLG) and its galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) yield, respectively. Low pressure plasma treatments involving oxygen plasma activation, plasma polymerization (PlsP) of ethylenediamine (EDA) and PlsP of 2-mercaptoethanol were used to modify plain CA membrane surfaces. KLG enzyme was immobilized onto plain and oxygen plasma treated membrane surfaces by simple adsorption. Oxygen plasma activation increased the hydrophylicity of CA membrane surfaces and it improved the immobilization yield of the enzyme by 42%. KLG enzyme was also immobilized onto CA membrane surfaces through amino groups created by PlsP of EDA via covalent binding. Plasma action at 60W plasma power and 15 min. exposure time improved the amount of membrane bounded enzyme by 3.5-fold. The enrichment of the amount of amino groups via polyethyleneimine (PEI) addition enhanced this increase from 3.5-fold to 4.5-fold. Although high enzyme loading was achived (65-83%), both of the methods dramatically decreased the enzyme activity (11-12%) and GOS yield due to probably negative effects of active amino groups. KLG enzyme was more effectively immobilized onto thiolated CA membrane surface created by PlsP of 2-mercaptoethanol with high immobilization yield (70%) and especially high enzyme activity (46%). Immobilized enzymes on the CA membranes treated by PlsP were successively reutilized for 5-8 cycles at 25°C and enzymatic derivatives retained approximately 75-80% of their initial activites at the end of the reactions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Optimization of a new polymeric chromium (III) membrane electrode based on methyl violet by using experimental design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazemi, Sayed Yahya; Hamidi, Akram sadat; Asanjarani, Neda; Zolgharnein, Javad

    2010-06-15

    Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs were applied as experimental design strategies to screen and optimize the influence of membrane ingredients on the electrode performance. A new poly(vinyl chloride) membrane sensor for Cr(III) based on methyl violet as an ionophore was planned. The major variables to find a model for achieving the best Nernstian slope as response were: PVC, plasticizers, methyl violet, KpClTPB, pH, conditioning time and internal solution concentration. Plackett-Burman design was used to screen the main factors and Box-Behnken response surface was led to find a model for optimizing the response. The optimized membrane electrode shows a Nernstian slope for chromium (III) ions over a wide linear range from 1.99x10(-6) to 3.16x10(-2)molL(-1) and a slope of 19.5+/-0.1mVdecade(-1) of activity. It would be successfully applied in the pH range from 3.5 to 6.5 with detection limit of 1.77x10(-6)molL(-1) (0.092mgL(-1)). The response time of the sensor is about 8s and the membrane can be used for more than 6 weeks without any deviation. The relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) for six replicate the measurements of 1.0x10(-4) and 1.0x10(-3)molL(-1) of Cr(III) were 3.2 and 3%, respectively. The electrode revealed comparatively good selectivity with respect to many cations including alkali earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The electrode was successfully used as an indicator in the potentiometric titration of Cr(III) with EDTA and was also applied to the direct determination chromium (III) content of spiked water and soil samples.

  14. A vibrating membrane bioreactor operated at supra- and sub-critical flux: Influence of extracellular polymeric substances from yeast cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beier, Søren Prip; Jonsson, Gunnar Eigil

    2007-01-01

    A vibrating membrane bioreactor, in which the fouling problems are reduced by vibrating a hollow fiber membrane module, has been tested in constant flux microfiltration above (supra-critical) and below (sub-critical) an experimentally determined critical flux. Suspensions of bakers yeast cells were...... chosen as filtration medium (dry weight 4 g/l). The influence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from the yeast cells is evaluated by UV absorbance measurements of the bulk supernatant during filtration. The critical flux seems to be an interval or a relative value rather than an absolute value....... Filtration just below the critical flux (sub-critical) seems to be a good compromise between acceptable flux level and acceptable increase of fouling resistance and trans-membrane pressure (TMP) in a given time period. EPS from the yeast cells causes the membrane module to foul and part of the fouling...

  15. Potentiometric study of samarium oxides formation from its chloride in a molten eutectic mixture of sodium and cesium chlorides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smolenskij, V.V.; Bove, A.L.; Del'mukhamedov, R.D.; Borodina, N.P.; Gavrilov, A.G.

    1997-01-01

    Interaction of trivalent samarium cations with oxide-ions in NaCl-2CsCl melt at 973 K has been studied by potentiometric method using electrochemical cell with two platinum-oxygen electrodes with a solid electrolyte membrane. The mechanism of the interaction and composition of the reaction products, depending on the medium oxyacidity, have been considered. Certain thermodynamic characteristics of the process have been calculated

  16. Comparison of Hexane Vapour Permeation in Two Different Polymeric Membranes via an Innovative In-line FID Detection Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. Petrusová

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This manuscript presents a novel method for the analysis of vapour permeation through polymeric membranes based on in-line analysis of the permeate with an FID detector. The hexane vapour permeation was studied for two commercially available membranes, namely low-density polyethylene (LDPE and thin-film-composite polyamide (PA membrane. The hexane permeation was studied at temperatures of 25–45 °C, hexane vapour activity in the range of 0.2–0.8 and trans-membrane pressures of 5–50 kPa. Two fundamentally different membranes were chosen to demonstrate the potential and sensitivity of the permeation apparatus. Upon increasing the temperature from 25 to 45 °C, the flux in LDPE was found to increase almost fourfold over the whole activity range. The nonlinear increase of the flux with activity indicates plasticization of the polymer by hexane. Contrarily, the flux in the PA membrane increases almost linearly with activity, with only a minor upward curvature. Since the PA is far away from any phase transition, it is less temperature-dependent than LDPE. The activation energy for permeation demonstrates that the temperature dependence in the LDPE membrane is dominated by changes in diffusion, whereas it is dominated by changes in solubility in the PA membrane.

  17. Viscoelastic Properties of Extracellular Polymeric Substances Can Strongly Affect Their Washing Efficiency from Reverse Osmosis Membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrando Chavez, Diana Lila; Nejidat, Ali; Herzberg, Moshe

    2016-09-06

    The role of the viscoelastic properties of biofouling layers in their removal from the membrane was studied. Model fouling layers of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) originated from microbial biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 differentially expressing the Psl polysaccharide were used for controlled washing experiments of fouled RO membranes. In parallel, adsorption experiments and viscoelastic modeling of the EPS layers were conducted in a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). During the washing stage, as shear rate was elevated, significant differences in permeate flux recovery between the three different EPS layers were observed. According to the amount of organic carbon remained on the membrane after washing, the magnitude of Psl production provides elevated resistance of the EPS layer to shear stress. The highest flux recovery during the washing stage was observed for the EPS with no Psl. Psl was shown to elevate the layer's shear modulus and shear viscosity but had no effect on the EPS adhesion to the polyamide surface. We conclude that EPS retain on the membrane as a result of the layer viscoelastic properties. These results highlight an important relation between washing efficiency of fouling layers from membranes and their viscoelastic properties, in addition to their adhesion properties.

  18. UV-Induced Radical Photo-Polymerization: A Smart Tool for Preparing Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Energy Storage Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio Gerbaldi

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available In the present work, the preparation and characterization of quasi-solid polymer electrolyte membranes based on methacrylic monomers and oligomers, with the addition of organic plasticizers and lithium salt, are described. Noticeable improvements in the mechanical properties by reinforcement with natural cellulose hand-sheets or nanoscale microfibrillated cellulose fibers are also demonstrated. The ionic conductivity of the various prepared membranes is very high, with average values approaching 10-3 S cm-1 at ambient temperature. The electrochemical stability window is wide (anodic breakdown voltages > 4.5 V vs. Li in all the cases along with good cyclability in lithium cells at ambient temperature. The galvanostatic cycling tests are conducted by constructing laboratory-scale lithium cells using LiFePO4 as cathode and lithium metal as anode with the selected polymer electrolyte membrane as the electrolyte separator. The results obtained demonstrate that UV induced radical photo-polymerization is a well suited method for an easy and rapid preparation of easy tunable quasi-solid polymer electrolyte membranes for energy storage devices.

  19. UV-Induced Radical Photo-Polymerization: A Smart Tool for Preparing Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Energy Storage Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio Gerbaldi

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available In the present work, the preparation and characterization of quasi-solid polymer electrolyte membranes based on methacrylic monomers and oligomers, with the addition of organic plasticizers and lithium salt, are described. Noticeable improvements in the mechanical properties by reinforcement with natural cellulose hand-sheets or nanoscale microfibrillated cellulose fibers are also demonstrated. The ionic conductivity of the various prepared membranes is very high, with average values approaching 10-3 S cm-1 at ambient temperature. The electrochemical stability window is wide (anodic breakdown voltages > 4.5 V vs. Li in all the cases along with good cyclability in lithium cells at ambient temperature. The galvanostatic cycling tests are conducted by constructing laboratory-scale lithium cells using LiFePO4 as cathode and lithium metal as anode with the selected polymer electrolyte membrane as the electrolyte separator. The results obtained demonstrate that UV induced radical photo-polymerization is a well suited method for an easy and rapid preparation of easy tunable quasi-solid polymer electrolyte membranes for energy storage devices.

  20. Development of a hexavalent chromium ISFET sensor with a polymeric membrane including tributylphosphate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zazoua, A.; Zougar, S.; Kherrat, R.; Samar, M.H.; Jaffrezic-Renault, N.; Errachid, A.; Abbaci, A.

    2006-01-01

    This paper presents a first report on chromium ISFET (ion-sensitive field effect transistor) based on a polymeric membrane (siloprene) including an ionophore (tributylphosphate) sensitive for hexavalent chromium. The sensor sensitivity as a function of the pH was studied; its value is minimum in a pH interval from 5.5 to 7.5. The sensitivity for hexavalent chromium was found to be 15 mV/loga Cr 6+ in the range of 10 -4 to 10 -2 M. The detection limit was found to be 10 -5 M. The studied interfering ions are Pb(II) and Cd(II) that do not represent a great perturbation upon the response for hexavalent chromium

  1. Development of a hexavalent chromium ISFET sensor with a polymeric membrane including tributylphosphate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zazoua, A. [Universite de Annaba, BP 12, El-Hadjar, Annaba (Algeria); Zougar, S. [Universite de Annaba, BP 12, El-Hadjar, Annaba (Algeria); Kherrat, R. [Universite de Annaba, BP 12, El-Hadjar, Annaba (Algeria); Samar, M.H. [Universite de Annaba, BP 12, El-Hadjar, Annaba (Algeria); Jaffrezic-Renault, N. [CEGELY-UMR 5005 CNRS, Ecole centrale de Lyon, 69134 Ecully cedex (France)]. E-mail: Nicole.Jaffrezic@ec-lyon.fr; Errachid, A. [Center of Reference for Bioengineering in Catalonia (CREBEC), Laboratory of Nanobioengineering, Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Universidad de Barcelona C/ Josep Samitier 1-5, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Abbaci, A. [Universite de Annaba, BP 12, El-Hadjar, Annaba (Algeria)

    2006-03-15

    This paper presents a first report on chromium ISFET (ion-sensitive field effect transistor) based on a polymeric membrane (siloprene) including an ionophore (tributylphosphate) sensitive for hexavalent chromium. The sensor sensitivity as a function of the pH was studied; its value is minimum in a pH interval from 5.5 to 7.5. The sensitivity for hexavalent chromium was found to be 15 mV/loga {sub Cr{sup 6+}} in the range of 10{sup -4} to 10{sup -2} M. The detection limit was found to be 10{sup -5} M. The studied interfering ions are Pb(II) and Cd(II) that do not represent a great perturbation upon the response for hexavalent chromium.

  2. Determination of uranyl ion by potentiometric titration using an uranyl-selective electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nassory, N.S.

    1990-01-01

    A potentiometric titration of uranyl ion is described using an uranyl selective electrode based on a membrane containing a complex of UO 2 -bis[di-4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl phosphate] as an ion-exchanger and tritolyl phosphate as a solvent mediator. The titrations were carried out with various titrants: Sodium hydroxide, potassium fluoride and sodium salts of acetate, oxalate and citrate. The equivalence points were determined by Gran's method. Good results were obtained by using sodium oxalate as a titrant for the determination of uranium in several samples of ammonium diuranate. The results were quite comparable with those obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. (orig.)

  3. Influence of membrane properties on fouling in submerged membrane bioreactors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Marel, P.; Zwijnenburg, A.; Kemperman, Antonius J.B.; Wessling, Matthias; Temmink, Hardy; van der Meer, Walterus Gijsbertus Joseph

    2010-01-01

    Polymeric flat-sheet membranes with different properties were used in filtration experiments with activated sludge from a pilot-scale MBR to investigate the influence of membrane pore size, surface porosity, pore morphology, and hydrophobicity on membrane fouling. An improved flux-step method was

  4. Surface nanostructuring of thin film composite membranes via grafting polymerization and incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isawi, Heba; El-Sayed, Magdi H.; Feng, Xianshe; Shawky, Hosam; Abdel Mottaleb, Mohamed S.

    2016-11-01

    A new approach for modification of polyamid thin film composite membrane PA(TFC) using synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) was shown to enhance the membrane performances for reverse osmosis water desalination. First, active layer of synthesis PA(TFC) membrane was activated with an aqueous solution of free radical graft polymerization of hydrophilic methacrylic acid (MAA) monomer onto the surface of the PA(TFC) membrane resulting PMAA-g-PA(TFC). Second, the PA(TFC) membrane has been developed by incorporation of ZnO NPs into the MAA grafting solution resulting the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane. The surface properties of the synthesized nanoparticles and prepared membranes were investigated using the FTIR, XRD and SEM. Morphology studies demonstrated that ZnO NPs have been successfully incorporated into the active grafting layer over PA(TFC) composite membranes. The zinc leaching from the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) was minimal, as shown by batch tests that indicated stabilization of the ZnO NPs on the membrane surfaces. Compared with the a pure PA(TFC) and PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membranes, the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) was more hydrophilic, with an improved water contact angle (∼50 ± 3°) over the PMAA-g-PA(TFC) (63 ± 2.5°). The ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane showed salt rejection of 97% (of the total groundwater salinity), 99% of dissolved bivalent ions (Ca2+, SO42-and Mg2+), and 98% of mono valent ions constituents (Cl- and Na+). In addition, antifouling performance of the membranes was determined using E. coli as a potential foulant. This demonstrates that the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane can significantly improve the membrane performances and was favorable to enhance the selectivity, permeability, water flux, mechanical properties and the bio-antifouling properties of the membranes for water desalination.

  5. The use of nanoparticles in polymeric and ceramic membrane structures: Review of manufacturing procedures and performance improvement for water treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Jeonghwan [Department of Environmental Engineering, INHA University, Nam-gu, Yonghyun-dong 253, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Van der Bruggen, Bart, E-mail: bart.vanderbruggen@cit.kuleuven.b [K.U. Leuven, Department of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory for Applied Physical Chemistry and Environmental Technology, W. de Croylaan 46, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

    2010-07-15

    Membrane separations are powerful tools for various applications, including wastewater treatment and the removal of contaminants from drinking water. The performance of membranes is mainly limited by material properties. Recently, successful attempts have been made to add nanoparticles or nanotubes to polymers in membrane synthesis, with particle sizes ranging from 4 nm up to 100 nm. Ceramic membranes have been fabricated with catalytic nanoparticles for synergistic effects on the membrane performance. Breakthrough effects that have been reported in the field of water and wastewater treatment include fouling mitigation, improvement of permeate quality and flux enhancement. Nanomaterials that have been used include titania, alumina, silica, silver and many others. This paper reviews the role of engineered nanomaterials in (pressure driven) membrane technology for water treatment, to be applied in drinking water production and wastewater recycling. Benefits and drawbacks are described, which should be taken into account in further studies on potential risks related to release of nanoparticles into the environment. - Nanoparticles show a great potential for application in polymeric and ceramic membrane structures, in view of fouling mitigation and catalytic breakdown processes.

  6. The use of nanoparticles in polymeric and ceramic membrane structures: Review of manufacturing procedures and performance improvement for water treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jeonghwan; Van der Bruggen, Bart

    2010-01-01

    Membrane separations are powerful tools for various applications, including wastewater treatment and the removal of contaminants from drinking water. The performance of membranes is mainly limited by material properties. Recently, successful attempts have been made to add nanoparticles or nanotubes to polymers in membrane synthesis, with particle sizes ranging from 4 nm up to 100 nm. Ceramic membranes have been fabricated with catalytic nanoparticles for synergistic effects on the membrane performance. Breakthrough effects that have been reported in the field of water and wastewater treatment include fouling mitigation, improvement of permeate quality and flux enhancement. Nanomaterials that have been used include titania, alumina, silica, silver and many others. This paper reviews the role of engineered nanomaterials in (pressure driven) membrane technology for water treatment, to be applied in drinking water production and wastewater recycling. Benefits and drawbacks are described, which should be taken into account in further studies on potential risks related to release of nanoparticles into the environment. - Nanoparticles show a great potential for application in polymeric and ceramic membrane structures, in view of fouling mitigation and catalytic breakdown processes.

  7. Polymeric membranes for guided bone regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gentile, Piergiorgio; Chiono, Valeria; Tonda-Turo, Chiara; Ferreira, Ana M; Ciardelli, Gianluca

    2011-10-01

    In this review, different barrier membranes for guided bone regeneration (GBR) are described as a useful surgical technique to enhance bone regeneration in damaged alveolar sites before performing implants and fitting other dental appliances. The GBR procedure encourages bone regeneration through cellular exclusion and avoids the invasion of epithelial and connective tissues that grow at the defective site instead of bone tissue. The barrier membrane should satisfy various properties, such as biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, non-toxicity, and a degradation rate that is long enough to permit mechanical support during bone formation. Other characteristics such as tissue integration, nutrient transfer, space maintenance and manageability are also of interest. In this review, various non-resorbable and resorbable commercially available membranes are described, based on expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid) and their copolymers. The polyester-based membranes are biodegradable, permit a single-stage procedure, and have higher manageability than non-resorbable membranes; however, they have shown poor biocompatibility. In contrast, membranes based on natural materials, such as collagen, are biocompatible but are characterized by poor mechanical properties and stability due to their early degradation. Moreover, new approaches are described, such as the use of multi-layered, graft-copolymer-based and composite membranes containing osteoconductive ceramic fillers as alternatives to conventional membranes. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Influence of solids retention time on membrane fouling: characterization of extracellular polymeric substances and soluble microbial products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Liang; Tian, Zhiyong; Song, Yonghui; Jiang, Wei; Tian, Yuan; Li, Shan

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of solids retention time (SRT) on membrane fouling and the characteristics of biomacromolecules. Four identical laboratory-scale membrane bioreactors (MBRs) were operated with SRTs for 10, 20, 40 and 80 days. The results indicated that membrane fouling occurred faster and more readily under short SRTs. Fouling resistance was the primary source of filtration resistance. The modified fouling index (MFI) results suggested that the more ready fouling at short SRTs could be attributed to higher concentrations of soluble microbial products (SMP). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated that the SRT had a weak influence on the functional groups of the total extracellular polymeric substances (TEPS) and SMP. However, the MBR under a short SRT had more low-molecular-weight (MW) compounds (100 kDa). Aromatic protein and tryptophan protein-like substances were the dominant groups in the TEPS and SMP, respectively.

  9. The characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances and soluble microbial products in moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Liang; Jiang, Wei; Song, Yonghui; Xia, Siqing; Hermanowicz, Slawomir W

    2013-11-01

    The characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and soluble microbial products (SMP) in conventional membrane bioreactor (MBR) and in moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactors (MBBR-MBR) were investigated in long-term (170 days) experiments. The results showed that all reactors had high removal efficiency of ammonium and COD, despite very different fouling conditions. The MBBR-MBR with media fill ratio of 26.7% had much lower total membrane resistance and no obvious fouling were detected during the whole operation. In contrast, MBR and MBBR-MBR with lower and higher media fill experienced more significant fouling. Low fouling at optimum fill ratio may be due to the higher percentage of small molecular size (100 kDa) of EPS and SMP in the reactor. The composition of EPS and SMP affected fouling due to different O-H bonds in hydroxyl functional groups, and less polysaccharides and lipids. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Fabrication of green polymeric membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Dooli; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

    2017-01-01

    Provided herein are methods of fabricating membranes using polymers with functionalized groups such as sulfone (e.g., PSf and PES), ether (e.g., PES), acrylonitrile (e.g., PAN), fluoride(e.g., pvdf and other fluoropolymers), and imide (e.g., extem) and ionic liquids. Also provided are membranes made by the provided methods.

  11. Fabrication of green polymeric membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Dooli

    2017-06-16

    Provided herein are methods of fabricating membranes using polymers with functionalized groups such as sulfone (e.g., PSf and PES), ether (e.g., PES), acrylonitrile (e.g., PAN), fluoride(e.g., pvdf and other fluoropolymers), and imide (e.g., extem) and ionic liquids. Also provided are membranes made by the provided methods.

  12. The Effect of Microporous Polymeric Support Modification on Surface and Gas Transport Properties of Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhmetshina, Alsu A; Davletbaeva, Ilsiya M; Grebenschikova, Ekaterina S; Sazanova, Tatyana S; Petukhov, Anton N; Atlaskin, Artem A; Razov, Evgeny N; Zaripov, Ilnaz I; Martins, Carla F; Neves, Luísa A; Vorotyntsev, Ilya V

    2015-12-30

    Microporous polymers based on anionic macroinitiator and toluene 2,4-diisocyanate were used as a support for 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF₆]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([emim][Tf₂N]) immobilization. The polymeric support was modified by using silica particles associated in oligomeric media, and the influence of the modifier used on the polymeric structure was studied. The supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) were tested for He, N₂, NH₃, H₂S, and CO₂ gas separation and ideal selectivities were calculated. The high values of ideal selectivity for ammonia-based systems with permanent gases were observed on polymer matrixes immobilized with [bmim][PF₆] and [emim][Tf₂N]. The modification of SILMs by nanosize silica particles leads to an increase of NH₃ separation relatively to CO₂ or H₂S.

  13. Nucleation and growth kinetics of electrodeposited sulfate-doped polypyrrole: determination of the diffusion coefficient of SO(4)(2-) in the polymeric membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Licona-Sánchez, T de J; Alvarez-Romero, G A; Mendoza-Huizar, L H; Galán-Vidal, C A; Palomar-Pardavé, M; Romero-Romo, M; Herrera-Hernández, H; Uruchurtu, J; Juárez-García, J M

    2010-08-05

    A kinetic study for the electrosynthesis of polypyrrole (Ppy) doped with SO(4)(2-) ions is presented. Ppy films were electrochemically polymerized onto a graphite-epoxy resin electrode. Experimental current density transients (j-t) were obtained for three different potentiometric behaviors: anionic, cationic, and a combination. Theoretical models were used to fit the experimental j-t data to determine the nucleation and growth processes controlling the polymer synthesis. It was encountered that, in all cases, pyrrole electropolimerization involves two concomitant processes, namely, a Ppy diffusion limited multiple 3D nucleation and growth and pyrrole electro-oxidation on the growing surface of the Ppy nuclei. SEM analysis of the electrodes surfaces reveals that Ppy deposition occurred over most of the electrode surface by multiple nucleation of hemispheres, as the theoretical model used for the analysis of the current transients required. Hemispherical particles formed the polymeric film displaying different sizes. The order for the particle size was as follows: anionic > anionic-cationic > cationic. These results are congruent with those obtained by theoretical analysis of the corresponding current transients. Analysis of the impedance measurements recorded on the anionic Ppy film, immersed in an aqueous solution with different sulfate ion concentrations evidenced that SO(4)(2-) ions diffuse through the Ppy film provoking a decrease of its electrical resistance and an increase of its dielectric constant. From the Warburg impedance coefficient, the sulfate coefficient of diffusion in the Ppy film was 1.38 x 10(-9) cm(2) s(-1).

  14. Use of cold microfiltration retentates produced with polymeric membranes for standardization of milks for manufacture of pizza cheese.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Govindasamy-Lucey, S; Jaeggi, J J; Johnson, M E; Wang, T; Lucey, J A

    2007-10-01

    Pizza cheese was manufactured with milk (12.1% total solids, 3.1% casein, 3.1% fat) standardized with microfiltered (MF) and diafiltered retentates. Polymeric, spiral-wound MF membranes were used to process cold (pizza. Nitrogen recoveries were significantly higher in MF standardized cheeses. Fat recoveries were higher in the pH6.3MF cheese than the control or pH6.4MF cheese. Moisture-adjusted cheese yield was significantly higher in the 2 MF-fortified cheeses compared with the control cheese. Maximum loss tangent (LT(max)) values were not significantly different among the 3 cheeses, suggesting that these cheeses had similar meltability. The LT(max) values increased during ripening. The temperature at which the LT(max) was observed was highest in control cheese and was lower in the pH6.3MF cheese than in the pH6.4MF cheese. The temperature of the LT(max) decreased with age for all 3 cheeses. Values of 12% trichloroacetic acid soluble nitrogen levels were similar in all cheeses. Performance on pizza was similar for all cheeses. The use of MF retentates derived with polymeric membranes was successful in increasing cheese yield, and cheese quality was similar in the control and MF standardized cheeses.

  15. New Polymeric Membranes for Organic Solvent Nanofiltration

    KAUST Repository

    Aburabie, Jamaliah

    2017-05-01

    The focus of this dissertation was the development, synthesis and modification of polymers for the preparation of membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration. High chemical stability in a wide range of solvents was a key requirement. Membranes prepared from synthesized polymers as well as from commercial polymers were designed and chemically modified to reach OSN requirements. A solvent stable thin-film composite (TFC) membrane is reported, which is fabricated on crosslinked polythiosemicarbazide (PTSC) as substrate. The membranes exhibited high fluxes towards solvents like THF, DMF and DMSO ranging around 20 L/m2 h at 5 bar with a MWCO of around 1000 g/mol. Ultrafiltration PTSC membranes were prepared by non-solvent induced phase separation and crosslinked with GPTMS. The crosslinking reaction was responsible for the formation of an inorganic-type-network that tuned the membrane pore size. The crosslinked membranes acquired high solvent stability in DMSO, DMF and THF with a MWCO above 1300 g/mol. Reaction Induced Phase Separation (RIPS) was introduced as a new method for the preparation of skinned asymmetric membranes. These membranes have two distinctive layers with different morphologies both from the same polymer. The top dense layer is composed of chemically crosslinked polymer chains while the bottom layer is a porous structure formed by non-crosslinked polymer chains. Such membranes were tested for vitamin B12 in solvents after either crosslinking the support or dissolving the support and fixing the freestanding membrane on alumina. Pebax® 1657 was utilized for the preparation of composite membranes by simple coating. Porous PAN membranes were coated with Pebax® 1657 which was then crosslinked using TDI. Crosslinked Pebax® membranes show high stability towards ethanol, propanol and acetone. The membranes were also stable in DMF once crosslinked PAN supports were used. Sodium alginate polymer was investigated for the preparation of thin film composite

  16. Iodide selective membrane electrodes based on a Molybdenum-Salen as a neutral carrier

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghanei-Motlagh, Masoud [Department of Chemistry, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Taher, Mohammad Ali, E-mail: ma_taher@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ahmadi, Kyoumars [AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sheikhshoaie, Iran [Department of Chemistry, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2011-12-01

    A new polymeric membrane electrode (PME) and a coated platinum disk electrode (CPtE) based on Schiff base complex of Mo(VI) as a suitable carrier for I{sup -} ion were described. The influence of membrane composition, pH and possible interfering anions were investigated on the response properties of the electrodes. The electrodes exhibited a Nernstian slope of 63.0 {+-} 0.5 (CPtE) and 60.3 {+-} 0.4 (PME) mV decade{sup -1} in I{sup -} ion over a wide concentration range from 7.9 x 10{sup -7} to 1.0 x 10{sup -1} M for CPtE and 9.1 x 10{sup -6} to 1.0 x 10{sup -1} M I{sup -} for PME. The potentiometric response of the electrodes was independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 2.0-8.5 with a fast response time (< 10 s). The process of transfer of iodide across the membrane interface was investigated by use of the AC impedance technique. The proposed sensors were successfully applied to direct determination of iodide in samples containing interfering anions, waste water and as indicator electrodes in precipitation titrations. Highlights: {yields} We study new selective membrane electrodes for iodide ions. {yields} To the best of our knowledge this is the first coated platinum disk electrode of I{sup -}. {yields} The sensors have a wide concentration range with a fast response time. {yields} Efforts have been made to improve the selectivity with the use of CPtE.

  17. Custom-fit polymeric membrane dressing masks in the treatment of second degree facial burns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weissman, Oren; Hundeshagen, Gabriel; Harats, Moti; Farber, Nimrod; Millet, Eran; Winkler, Eyal; Zilinsky, Isaac; Haik, Josef

    2013-09-01

    Second degree facial burns usually impart high wound site pain levels and patient discomfort due to the abundance of facial sensory innervation, as well as the development of edema and inflammation that accompany wound healing. Frequent changing of adherent dressings causes additional procedural pain and may prolong healing due to recurring damage to the wound bed. We applied face masks, made on-site from a drug free polymeric membrane dressing, to 8 patients with superficial and deep 2nd degree facial burns. Time to full re-epithlialization was recorded during treatment. Pain, overall comfort, and result satisfaction were evaluated using a questionnaire (10-point Likert scales. From 1=minimum to 10=maximum) on follow-up (mean follow up 14.4 months, range 9-18). These results were compared to a historical cohort of patients with facial burns that were treated with an antibiotic ointment. Results showed mean re-epithelialization time of 6.5 days (as compared to 8.5 days in the cohort group), low pain ratings (mean: 2.6; range: 4.7 in the control group), mixed comfort levels (mean: 4.7/10; 4 in the control group) and high result satisfaction (mean: 7.8; 6.2 in the control group). Nursing staff described pain-free dressing changes and positively noted non-adherence and high absorbance capacity of the polymer, necessitating less dressing changes. Inflammation was contained to the actual site of injury. No complications in terms of infection or allergic reaction were observed. Overall, the polymeric membrane facial dressing seems to be a promising means of reducing pain and ensuring uninterrupted wound healing in 2nd degree facial burns. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  18. Carbon Dioxide Separation Using Thermally Optimized Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, J. S.; Jorgensen, B. S.; Espinoza, B. F.; Weimer, M. W.; Jarvinen, G. D.; Greenberg, A.; Khare, V.; Orme, C. J.; Wertsching, A. K.; Peterson, E. S.; Hopkins, S. D.; Acquaviva, J.

    2002-05-01

    The purpose of this project is to develop polymeric-metallic membranes for carbon dioxide separations that operate under a broad range of industrially relevant conditions not accessible with present membrane units. The last decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of polymer membranes as an effective, economic and flexible tool for many commercial gas separations including air separation, the recovery of hydrogen from nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane mixtures, and the removal of carbon dioxide from natural gas. In each of these applications, high fluxes and excellent selectivities have relied on glassy polymer membranes which separate gases based on both size and solubility differences. To date, however, this technology has focused on optimizing materials for near ambient conditions. The development of polymeric materials that achieve the important combination of high selectivity, high permeability, and mechanical stability at temperatures significantly above 25oC and pressures above 10 bar, respectively, has been largely ignored. Consequently, there is a compelling rationale for the exploration of a new realm of polymer membrane separations. Indeed, the development of high temperature polymeric-metallic composite membranes for carbon dioxide separation at temperatures of 100-450 oC and pressures of 10-150 bar would provide a pivotal contribution with both economic and environmental benefits. Progress to date includes the first ever fabrication of a polymeric-metallic membrane that is selective from room temperature to 370oC. This achievement represents the highest demonstrated operating temperature at which a polymeric based membrane has successfully functioned. Additionally, we have generated the first polybenzamidizole silicate molecular composites. Finally, we have developed a technique that has enabled the first-ever simultaneous measurements of gas permeation and membrane compaction at elevated temperatures. This technique provides a unique

  19. Janus graphene oxide nanosheet: A promising additive for enhancement of polymeric membranes performance prepared via phase inversion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbari, Mahdi; Shariaty-Niassar, Mojtaba; Matsuura, Takeshi; Ismail, Ahmad Fauzi

    2018-10-01

    Although polymeric membranes find important role in water and waste water treatment in recent years, their fouling is still an important problem. Application of hydrophilic nanoparticles (NPs) is one of the proposed methods for reducing fouling of membranes but their dispersion and stability in hydrophobic polymer matrix is challenging. In this study Janus functionalization of the NPs was introduced as a promising technique toward achieving this goal. Polysulfone (PSf) membranes containing various concentrations of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and Janus graphene oxide (Janus GO) nanosheets (as additives) were fabricated via phase inversion. The synthesized nanosheets were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The prepared membranes also were then characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle (CA), water uptake, porosity, mean pore size and casting solution viscosity. The membrane performance was also tested by determining pure water flux (PWF), bovine serum albumin (BSA) separation, flux reduction by fouling and flux recovery. CA reduced from 85° to 68° and PWF increased from 23.15 L/m 2  h to 230.61 L/m 2  h for PSF and Janus GO nanosheets containing membrane, respectively. Also investigation of antifouling performance of membranes revealed that membrane with the 1 wt.% of Janus GO nanosheets had higher water flux recovery ratio (FRR) and lower irreversible fouling (R ir ) of 84% and 16%, respectively. These improvements were attributed to the better dispersion and stability of Janus GO nanosheets in the prepared mixed matrix membranes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. A Novel Ion - selective Polymeric Membrane Sensor for Determining Thallium(I) With High Selectivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kassim, Anuar; Rezayi, Majid; Ahmadzadeh, Saeid; Yusof, Noor Azah; Tee, Tan Wee; Abdullah, Abd Halim; Rounaghi, Gholamhossein; Mohajeri, Masoomeh; Heng, Lee Yook

    2011-01-01

    Thallium is a toxic metal that introduced into the environment mainly as a waste from the production of zinc, cadmium, and lead and by combustion of coal. Thallium causes gastrointestinal irritation and nerve damage when people are exposed to it for relatively short period of time. For long term, thallium has the potential to cause the following effects: change in blood chemistry, damage to liver, kidney, intestinal and testicular tissue, and hair loss. In this work a membrane was prepared by use of 4'-nitrobenzo -18-crown-6 (4'NB18C6) as an ion carrier, polyvinylchloride (PVC) as a matrix, and diocthylphetalate (DOP) as a plasticizer for making an ion selective electrode for measurement of Tl + cation in solutions. The amount of 4'-nitrobenzo-18C6 and polyvinylchloride were optimized in the preparation of the membrane. The response of the electrode was Nernstian within the concentration range 1.0 x 10 -8 to 1.0 x 10 -1 M. This sensor displays a drift in Nernstian response for this cation with increasing the amount of ionophore and decreasing the amount of polyvinylchloride.The results of potentiometric measurements showed that, this electrode also responses to Cu 2+ Ni 2+ and Pb 2+ cations, but the electrode has a wider dynamic range and a lower detection limit to Tl + cation. The effects of various parameters such as pH, different cations interferences, effect of the amount of ionophore and polyvinylchloride and time on response of the coated ion selective electrode were investigated. Finally the constructed electrode was used in complexometric and precipitation titrations of Tl + cation with EDTA and KBr, respectively. The response of the fabricated electrode at concentration range from 1.0 x 10 -8 to 1.0 x 10 -1 M is linear with a Nernstian slope of 57.27 mV.

  1. A Novel Ion - selective Polymeric Membrane Sensor for Determining Thallium(I) With High Selectivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassim, Anuar; Rezayi, Majid; Ahmadzadeh, Saeid; Rounaghi, Gholamhossein; Mohajeri, Masoomeh; Azah Yusof, Noor; Tee, Tan Wee; Yook Heng, Lee; Halim Abdullah, Abd

    2011-02-01

    Thallium is a toxic metal that introduced into the environment mainly as a waste from the production of zinc, cadmium, and lead and by combustion of coal. Thallium causes gastrointestinal irritation and nerve damage when people are exposed to it for relatively short period of time. For long term, thallium has the potential to cause the following effects: change in blood chemistry, damage to liver, kidney, intestinal and testicular tissue, and hair loss. In this work a membrane was prepared by use of 4'-nitrobenzo -18-crown-6 (4'NB18C6) as an ion carrier, polyvinylchloride (PVC) as a matrix, and diocthylphetalate (DOP) as a plasticizer for making an ion selective electrode for measurement of Tl+ cation in solutions. The amount of 4'-nitrobenzo-18C6 and polyvinylchloride were optimized in the preparation of the membrane. The response of the electrode was Nernstian within the concentration range 1.0 × 10-8 to 1.0 × 10-1M. This sensor displays a drift in Nernstian response for this cation with increasing the amount of ionophore and decreasing the amount of polyvinylchloride.The results of potentiometric measurements showed that, this electrode also responses to Cu2+ Ni2+ and Pb2+ cations, but the electrode has a wider dynamic range and a lower detection limit to Tl+ cation. The effects of various parameters such as pH, different cations interferences, effect of the amount of ionophore and polyvinylchloride and time on response of the coated ion selective electrode were investigated. Finally the constructed electrode was used in complexometric and precipitation titrations of Tl+ cation with EDTA and KBr, respectively. The response of the fabricated electrode at concentration range from 1.0 × 10-8 to 1.0 × 10-1M is linear with a Nernstian slope of 57.27 mV.

  2. Improving Hemocompatibility of Membranes for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenators by Grafting Nonthrombogenic Polymer Brushes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obstals, Fabian; Vorobii, Mariia; Riedel, Tomáš; de Los Santos Pereira, Andres; Bruns, Michael; Singh, Smriti; Rodriguez-Emmenegger, Cesar

    2018-03-01

    Nonthrombogenic modifications of membranes for extracorporeal membrane oxygenators (ECMOs) are of key interest. The absence of hemocompatibility of these membranes and the need of anticoagulation of patients result in severe and potentially life-threatening complications during ECMO treatment. To address the lack of hemocompatibility of the membrane, surface modifications are developed, which act as barriers to protein adsorption on the membrane and, in this way, prevent activation of the coagulation cascade. The modifications are based on nonionic and zwitterionic polymer brushes grafted directly from poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (TPX) membranes via single electron transfer-living radical polymerization. Notably, this work introduces the first example of well-controlled surface-initiated radical polymerization of zwitterionic brushes. The antifouling layers markedly increase the recalcification time (a proxy of initiation of coagulation) compared to bare TPX membranes. Furthermore, platelet and leukocyte adhesion is drastically decreased, rendering the ECMO membranes hemocompatible. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Microscopy analysis of reconstituted COPII coat polymerization and Sec16 dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwasaki, Hirohiko; Yorimitsu, Tomohiro; Sato, Ken

    2017-09-01

    The COPII coat and the small GTPase Sar1 mediate protein export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) via specialized domains known as the ER exit sites. The peripheral ER protein Sec16 has been proposed to organize ER exit sites. However, it remains unclear how these molecules drive COPII coat polymerization. Here, we characterized the spatiotemporal relationships between the Saccharomyces cerevisiae COPII components during their polymerization by performing fluorescence microscopy of an artificial planar membrane. We demonstrated that Sar1 dissociates from the membrane shortly after the COPII coat recruitment, and Sar1 is then no longer required for the COPII coat to bind to the membrane. Furthermore, we found that Sec16 is incorporated within the COPII-cargo clusters, and that this is dependent on the Sar1 GTPase cycle. These data show how Sar1 drives the polymerization of COPII coat and how Sec16 is spatially distributed during COPII coat polymerization. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  4. Mixed-Matrix Membranes containing an Azine-Linked Covalent Organic Framework: Influence of the polymeric matrix on Post-Combustion CO 2 -capture

    KAUST Repository

    Shan, Meixia

    2017-12-07

    The use of an azine-linked covalent organic framework (ACOF-1) as filler in mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) has been studied for the separation of CO2 from N2. To better understand the mechanisms that govern separation in complex composites, MMMs were prepared with different loadings of ACOF-1 and three different polymers as continuous phase: low flux-mid selectivity Matrimid®, mid flux-high selectivity Polyactive™ and high flux-low selectivity 6FDA:DAM. The homogeneous distribution of ACOF-1 together with the good adhesion between the ACOF-1 particles and the polymer matrices were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. In mixed-gas CO2/N2 separation a clear influence of the polymer used was observed on the performance of the composite membranes. While for Matrimid® and 6FDA:DAM an overall enhancement of the polymer\\'s separation properties could be achieved, in case of Polyactive™ penetration of the more flexible polymer into the COF porosity resulted in a decreased membrane permeability. The best improvement was obtained for Matrimid®-based MMMs, for which a selectivity increase from 29 to 35, together with an enhancement in permeability from 9.5 to 17.7 Barrer for 16wt% COF loading, was observed. Our results demonstrate that the combination of the filler-polymeric matrix pair chosen is crucial. For a given filler the polymer performance improvement strongly depends on the polymeric matrix selected, where a good match between the discontinuous and continuous phase, both in the terms of compatibility and gas separation properties, is necessary to optimize membrane performance.

  5. Amodiaquine polymeric membrane electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malongo, T Kimbeni; Blankert, B; Kambu, O; Amighi, K; Nsangu, J; Kauffmann, J-M

    2006-04-11

    The construction and electrochemical response characteristics of two types of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane sensors for the determination of amodiaquine hydrochloride (ADQ.2HCl) are described. The sensing membrane comprised an ion-pair formed between the cationic drug and sodium tetraphenyl borate (NaTPB) or potassium tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl) borate (KTCPB) in a plasticized PVC matrix. Eight PVC membrane ion-selective electrodes were fabricated and studied. Several plasticizers were studied namely, dioctyl phthalate (DOP), 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE), dioctyl phenylphosphonate (DOPP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (EHA). The sensors display a fast, stable and near-Nernstian response over a relative wide ADQ concentration range (3.2 x 10(-6) to 2.0 x 10(-2) M), with slopes comprised between 28.5 and 31.4 mV dec(-1) in a pH range comprised between pH 3.7 and 5.5. The assay of amodiaquine hydrochloride in pharmaceutical dosage forms using one of the proposed sensors gave average recoveries of 104.3 and 99.9 with R.S.D. of 0.3 and 0.6% for tablets (Malaritab) and a reconstituted powder containing ADQ.2HCl, respectively. The sensor was also used for dissolution profile studies of two drug formulations. The sensor proved to have a good selectivity for ADQ.2HCl over some inorganic and organic compounds, however, berberine chloride interfered significantly. The results were validated by comparison with a spectrophotometric assay according to the USP pharmacopoeia.

  6. Chemical sensors and the development of potentiometric methods for liquid media analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlasov, Yu.G.; Kolodnikov, V.V.; Ermolenko, Yu.E.; Mikhajlova, S.S.

    1996-01-01

    Aspects of applying indirect potentiometric determination to chemical analysis are considered. Among them are the standard and modified addition and subtraction methods, the multiple addition method, and potentiometric titration using ion-selective electrodes as indicators. These methods significantly extend the capabilities of ion-selective potentiometric analysis. Conditions for the applicability of the above-mentioned methods to various samples (Cd, REE, Th, iodides and others) are discussed using all available ion-selective electrodes as examples. 162 refs., 2 figs., 5 tabs

  7. A NEW APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF MUCOADHESIVENESS OF POLYMERIC MEMBRANES USING SILICONE DISCS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowak, Karolina Maria; Szterk, Arkadiusz; Fiedor, Piotr; Bodek, Kazimiera Henryka

    2016-01-01

    The introduction of new test methods and the modification of existing ones are crucial for obtaining reliable results, which contributes to the development of innovative materials that may have clinical applications. Today, silicone is commonly used in medicine and the diversity of its applications are continually growing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mucoadhesiveness of polymeric membranes by a method that modifies the existing test methods through the introduction of silicone discs. The matrices were designed for clinical application in the management of diseases within the oral cavity. The use of silicone discs allows reliable and reproducible results to be obtained, which allows us to make various tensometric measurements. In this study, different types of polymeric matrices were examined, as well as their crosslinking and the presence for the active pharmaceutical ingredient were compared to the pure dosage form. The lidocaine hydrochloride (Lid(HCl)) was used as a model active substance, due to its use in dentistry and clinical safety. The results were characterized by a high repeatability (RSD < 10.6%). The advantage of silicone material due to its mechanical strength, chemical and physical resistance, allowed a new test method using a texture analyzer to be proposed.

  8. Novel, one-step synthesis of zwitterionic polymer nanoparticles via distillation-precipitation polymerization and its application for dye removal membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, G P Syed; Isloor, Arun M; Inamuddin; Asiri, Abdullah M; Ismail, Norafiqah; Ismail, Ahmed Fauzi; Ashraf, Ghulam Md

    2017-11-21

    In this work, poly(MBAAm-co-SBMA) zwitterionic polymer nanoparticles were synthesized in one-step via distillation-precipitation polymerization (DPP) and were characterized. [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (SBMA) as monomer and N, N'-methylene bis(acrylamide) (MBAAm) as cross-linker are used for the synthesis of nanoparticles. As  far as our knowledge, this is the first such report on the synthesis of poly(MBAAm-co-SBMA) nanoparticles via DPP. The newly synthesized nanoparticles were further employed for the surface modification of polysulfone (PSF) hollow fiber membranes for dye removal. The modified hollow fiber membrane exhibited the improved permeability (56 L/ m 2 h bar) and dye removal (>98% of Reactive Black 5 and >80.7% of Reactive orange 16) with the high permeation of salts. Therefore, the as-prepared membrane can have potential application in textile and industrial wastewater treatment.

  9. An in situ polymerization approach for the synthesis of superhydrophobic and superoleophilic nanofibrous membranes for oil-water separation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Yanwei; Si, Yang; Raza, Aikifa; Yang, Liping; Mao, Xue; Ding, Bin; Yu, Jianyong

    2012-12-21

    Superhydrophobic and superoleophilic nanofibrous membranes exhibiting robust oil-water separation performance were prepared by a facile combination of electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers and a novel in situ polymerized fluorinated polybenzoxazine (F-PBZ) functional layer that incorporated silica nanoparticles (SiO(2) NPs). By employing the F-PBZ/SiO(2) NPs modification, the pristine hydrophilic CA nanofibrous membranes were endowed with a superhydrophobicity with the water contact angle of 161° and a superoleophilicity with the oil contact angle of 3°. Surface morphological studies have indicated that the wettability of resultant membranes could be manipulated by tuning the surface composition as well as the hierarchical structures. The quantitative hierarchical roughness analysis using the N(2) adsorption method has confirmed the major contribution of SiO(2) NPs on enhancing the porous structure, and a detailed correlation between roughness and solid-liquid interface pinning is proposed. Furthermore, the as-prepared membranes exhibited fast and efficient separation for oil-water mixtures and excellent stability over a wide range of pH conditions, which would make them a good candidate in industrial oil-polluted water treatments and oil spill cleanup, and also provided a new insight into the design and development of functional nanofibrous membranes through F-PBZ modification.

  10. Highly permeable polymeric membranes based on the incorporation of the functional water channel protein Aquaporin Z

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Manish; Grzelakowski, Mariusz; Zilles, Julie; Clark, Mark; Meier, Wolfgang

    2007-01-01

    The permeability and solute transport characteristics of amphiphilic triblock-polymer vesicles containing the bacterial water-channel protein Aquaporin Z (AqpZ) were investigated. The vesicles were made of a block copolymer with symmetric poly-(2-methyloxazoline)-poly-(dimethylsiloxane)-poly-(2-methyloxazoline) (PMOXA15-PDMS110-PMOXA15) repeat units. Light-scattering measurements on pure polymer vesicles subject to an outwardly directed salt gradient in a stopped-flow apparatus indicated that the polymer vesicles were highly impermeable. However, a large enhancement in water productivity (permeability per unit driving force) of up to ≈800 times that of pure polymer was observed when AqpZ was incorporated. The activation energy (Ea) of water transport for the protein-polymer vesicles (3.4 kcal/mol) corresponded to that reported for water-channel-mediated water transport in lipid membranes. The solute reflection coefficients of glucose, glycerol, salt, and urea were also calculated, and indicated that these solutes are completely rejected. The productivity of AqpZ-incorporated polymer membranes was at least an order of magnitude larger than values for existing salt-rejecting polymeric membranes. The approach followed here may lead to more productive and sustainable water treatment membranes, whereas the variable levels of permeability obtained with different concentrations of AqpZ may provide a key property for drug delivery applications. PMID:18077364

  11. The Effect of Microporous Polymeric Support Modification on Surface and Gas Transport Properties of Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alsu A. Akhmetshina

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Microporous polymers based on anionic macroinitiator and toluene 2,4-diisocyanate were used as a support for 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF6] and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonylimide ([emim][Tf2N] immobilization. The polymeric support was modified by using silica particles associated in oligomeric media, and the influence of the modifier used on the polymeric structure was studied. The supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs were tested for He, N2, NH3, H2S, and CO2 gas separation and ideal selectivities were calculated. The high values of ideal selectivity for ammonia-based systems with permanent gases were observed on polymer matrixes immobilized with [bmim][PF6] and [emim][Tf2N]. The modification of SILMs by nanosize silica particles leads to an increase of NH3 separation relatively to CO2 or H2S.

  12. Asymmetric polymeric membranes containing a metal-rich dense layer with a controlled thickness and method of making same

    KAUST Repository

    Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Villalobos, Vazquez De La Parra Luis Francisco

    2016-01-01

    A structure, and methods of making the structure are provided in which the structure can include: a membrane having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer comprising polymer chains formed with coordination complexes with metal ions, and the second layer consisting of a porous support layer formed of polymer chains substantially, if not completely, lacking the presence of metal ions. The structure can be an asymmetric polymeric membrane containing a metal-rich layer as the first layer. In various embodiments the first layer can be a metal-rich dense layer. The first layer can include pores. The polymer chains of the first layer can be closely packed. The second layer can include a plurality of macro voids and can have an absence of the metal ions of the first layer.

  13. Asymmetric polymeric membranes containing a metal-rich dense layer with a controlled thickness and method of making same

    KAUST Repository

    Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

    2016-01-21

    A structure, and methods of making the structure are provided in which the structure can include: a membrane having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer comprising polymer chains formed with coordination complexes with metal ions, and the second layer consisting of a porous support layer formed of polymer chains substantially, if not completely, lacking the presence of metal ions. The structure can be an asymmetric polymeric membrane containing a metal-rich layer as the first layer. In various embodiments the first layer can be a metal-rich dense layer. The first layer can include pores. The polymer chains of the first layer can be closely packed. The second layer can include a plurality of macro voids and can have an absence of the metal ions of the first layer.

  14. Nano level detection of Cd(II) using poly(vinyl chloride) based membranes of Schiff bases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Vinod K; Al Khayat, Maysoon; Singh, Ashok K; Pal, Manoj K

    2009-02-16

    The construction and performance characteristics of polymeric membrane electrodes based on two neutral ionophores, 2,2'-(1Z,1'Z)-(1E,1'E)-(1,2-phenylenebis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene))bis(azaan-1-yl-1-ylidene)bis(methylene)bis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene)bis(methan-1-yl-ylidene)diphenol (L(1)) and 4,4'-(1E,1'E)-(butane-1,4-diylbis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene))bis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene)dinaphthalen-1-ol (L(2)) for quantification of cadmium ions, are described. The influences of membrane compositions on the potentiometric response of the electrodes have been found to substantially improve the performance characteristics. The best performance was obtained with the electrode having a membrane composition (w/w) of (L(1)) (2.6%):PVC (31.6%):DOP (63.2%):NaTPB (2.6%). The proposed electrode exhibits Nernstian response in the concentration range 5.0 x 10(-9) to 1.0 x 10(-1)M Cd(2+) with limit of detection 3.1 x 10(-9), performs satisfactorily over wide pH range (2.0-8.5) with a fast response time (11s). The electrode has been found to work satisfactorily in partially non-aqueous media up to 40% (v/v) content of methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile and could be used for a period of 2.5 months. The analytical usefulness of the proposed electrode has been evaluated by its application in the determination of cadmium in cigarette samples. The practical utility of the membrane electrode has also been observed in the presence of surfactants.

  15. Nano level detection of Cd(II) using poly(vinyl chloride) based membranes of Schiff bases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Vinod K.; Al Khayat, Maysoon; Singh, Ashok K.; Pal, Manoj K.

    2009-01-01

    The construction and performance characteristics of polymeric membrane electrodes based on two neutral ionophores, 2,2'-(1Z,1'Z)-(1E,1'E)-(1,2-phenylenebis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene)) bis(azaan-1-yl-1-ylidene)bis(methylene)bis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene) bis(methan-1-yl-ylidene)diphenol (L 1 ) and 4,4'-(1E,1'E)-(butane-1,4-diylbis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene)) bis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene)dinaphthalen-1-ol (L 2 ) for quantification of cadmium ions, are described. The influences of membrane compositions on the potentiometric response of the electrodes have been found to substantially improve the performance characteristics. The best performance was obtained with the electrode having a membrane composition (w/w) of (L 1 ) (2.6%):PVC (31.6%):DOP (63.2%):NaTPB (2.6%). The proposed electrode exhibits Nernstian response in the concentration range 5.0 x 10 -9 to 1.0 x 10 -1 M Cd 2+ with limit of detection 3.1 x 10 -9 , performs satisfactorily over wide pH range (2.0-8.5) with a fast response time (11 s). The electrode has been found to work satisfactorily in partially non-aqueous media up to 40% (v/v) content of methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile and could be used for a period of 2.5 months. The analytical usefulness of the proposed electrode has been evaluated by its application in the determination of cadmium in cigarette samples. The practical utility of the membrane electrode has also been observed in the presence of surfactants

  16. Polymeric and Lipid Membranes-From Spheres to Flat Membranes and vice versa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saveleva, Mariia S; Lengert, Ekaterina V; Gorin, Dmitry A; Parakhonskiy, Bogdan V; Skirtach, Andre G

    2017-08-15

    Membranes are important components in a number of systems, where separation and control of the flow of molecules is desirable. Controllable membranes represent an even more coveted and desirable entity and their development is considered to be the next step of development. Typically, membranes are considered on flat surfaces, but spherical capsules possess a perfect "infinite" or fully suspended membranes. Similarities and transitions between spherical and flat membranes are discussed, while applications of membranes are also emphasized.

  17. Polysulfone hemodiafiltration membranes with enhanced anti-fouling and hemocompatibility modified by poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) via in situ cross-linked polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Lijing; Song, Haiming; Wang, Jiarong; Xue, Lixin

    2017-05-01

    Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and its copolymers have been widely employed for the modification of hemodiafiltration membranes due to their excellent hydrophilicity, antifouling and hemocompatibility. However, challenges still remain to simplify the modification procedure and to improve the utilization efficiency. In this paper, antifouling and hemocompatibility polysulfone (PSf) hemodiafiltration membranes were fabricated via in situ cross-linked polymerization of vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) in PSf solutions and non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technique. The prepared membranes were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which suggested that VP and VTEOS have been cross-linked copolymerized in PSf membranes. The modified PSf membranes with high polymer content showed improved hydrophilicity, ultrafiltration and protein antifouling ability. In addition, the modified PSf membranes showed lower protein adsorption, inhibited platelet adhesion and deformation, prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and decreased the content of fibrinogen (FIB) transferring to fibrin, indicating enhanced hemocompatibility. In a word, the present work provides a simple and effective one-step modification method to construct PSf membranes with improved hydrophilicity, antifouling and hemocompatibility. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Neuronal Differentiation Modulated by Polymeric Membrane Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morelli, Sabrina; Piscioneri, Antonella; Drioli, Enrico; De Bartolo, Loredana

    2017-01-01

    In this study, different collagen-blend membranes were successfully constructed by blending collagen with chitosan (CHT) or poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) to enhance their properties and thus create new biofunctional materials with great potential use for neuronal tissue engineering and regeneration. Collagen blending strongly affected membrane properties in the following ways: (i) it improved the surface hydrophilicity of both pure CHT and PLGA membranes, (ii) it reduced the stiffness of CHT membranes, but (iii) it did not modify the good mechanical properties of PLGA membranes. Then, we investigated the effect of the different collagen concentrations on the neuronal behavior of the membranes developed. Morphological observations, immunocytochemistry, and morphometric measures demonstrated that the membranes developed, especially CHT/Col30, PLGA, and PLGA/Col1, provided suitable microenvironments for neuronal growth owing to their enhanced properties. The most consistent neuronal differentiation was obtained in neurons cultured on PLGA-based membranes, where a well-developed neuronal network was achieved due to their improved mechanical properties. Our findings suggest that tensile strength and elongation at break are key material parameters that have potential influence on both axonal elongation and neuronal structure and organization, which are of fundamental importance for the maintenance of efficient neuronal growth. Hence, our study has provided new insights regarding the effects of membrane mechanical properties on neuronal behavior, and thus it may help to design and improve novel instructive biomaterials for neuronal tissue engineering. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  19. Potentiometric-level monitoring program: Mississippi and Louisiana. Annual status report for fiscal year 1984

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-07-01

    Potentiometric-level data presented in this report were collected from October 1983 through September 1984 at 79 wells in Mississippi and Louisiana. These wells are located near Richton and Cypress Creek Domes in Mississippi and Vacherie Dome in Louisiana. Fourteen wells were added to the program during this period. Two of these wells were not measurable. Two wells previously unmeasurable were located and measured. One well was destroyed during military maneuvers in the area. Analysis of the data indicated minimal, if any, change in potentiometric levels during the past year in the Citronelle, Hattiesburg, Cockfield, Sparta, and Wilcox Formations in Mississippi. A continuing decline in potentiometric levels, ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 foot per year, occurred in the wells screened in the caprock at Richton and Cypress Creek Domes. The Catahoula Formation experienced a continuing decline in potentiometric levels of about 2 feet per year. Two wells in the Cook Mountain Formation showed a continuing rise in potentiometric levels ranging from 8 to 30 ft during the past fiscal year. Wells screened in the Austin Formation in Louisiana showed a fall in potentiometric levels of 2 to 3 ft over the past fiscal year. Other formations in Louisiana generally showed no change in potentiometric levels over the past year. 26 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs

  20. Micro-chip initiator realized by integrating Al/CuO multilayer nanothermite on polymeric membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taton, G; Lagrange, D; Conedera, V; Rossi, C; Renaud, L

    2013-01-01

    We have developed a new nanothermite based polymeric electro-thermal initiator for non-contact ignition of a propellant. A reactive Al/CuO multilayer nanothermite resides on a 100 µm thick SU-8/PET (polyethyleneterephtalate) membrane to insulate the reactive layer from the silicon bulk substrate. When current is supplied to the initiator, the chemical reaction Al+CuO occurs and sparkles are spread to a distance of several millimeters. A micro-manufacturing process for fabricating the initiator is presented and the electrical behaviors of the ignition elements are also investigated. The characteristics of the initiator made on a 100 µm thick SU-8/PET membrane were compared to two bulk electro-thermal initiators: one on a silicon and one on a Pyrex substrate. The PET devices give 100% of Al/CuO ignition success for an electrical current >250 mA. Glass based reactive initiators give 100% of Al/CuO ignition success for an electrical current >500 mA. Reactive initiators directly on silicon cannot initiate even with a 4 A current. At low currents (<1 A), the initiation time is two orders of magnitude longer for Pyrex initiator compared to those obtained for PET initiator technology. We also observed that, the Al/CuO thermite film on PET membrane reacts within 1 ms (sparkles duration) whereas it reacts within 4 ms on Pyrex. The thermite reaction is 40 times greater in intensity using the PET substrate in comparison to Pyrex. (paper)

  1. Comparison of Potentiometric and Gravimetric Methods for Determination of O/U Ratio

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farida; Windaryati, L; Putro Kasino, P

    1998-01-01

    Comparison of determination O/U ratio by using potentiometric and gravimetric methods has been done. Those methods are simple, economical and having high precision and accuracy. Determination O/U ratio for UO 2 powder using potentiometric is carried out by adopting the davies-gray method. This technique is based on the redox reaction of uranium species such as U(IV) and U(VI). In gravimetric method,the UO 2 power as a sample is calcined at temperature of 900 C, and the weight of the sample is measured after calcination process. The t-student test show that there are no different result significantly between those methods. However, for low concentration in the sample the potentiometric method has a highed precision and accuracy compare to the gravimetric method. O/U ratio obtained is 2.00768 ± 0,00170 for potentiometric method 2.01089 ± 0,02395 for gravimetric method

  2. Pervaporation separation of ethanol-water mixtures using polyethylenimine composite membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neidlinger, H.H.; Schissel, P.O.; Orth, R.A.

    1985-06-19

    Synthetic, organic, polymeric membranes were prepared from polyethylenimine for use with pervaporation apparatus in the separation of ethanol-water mixtures. The polymeric material was prepared in dilute aqueous solution and coated onto a polysulfone support film, from which excess polymeric material was subsequently removed. Cross-links were then generated by limited exposure to toluene-2,4-diisocyanate solution, after which the prepared membrane was heat-cured. The resulting membrane structures showed high selectivity in permeating ethanol or water over a wide range of feed concentrations. 2 tabs.

  3. Study on the thin film composite poly(piperazine-amide) nanofiltration membranes made of different polymeric substrates: Effect of operating conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Misdan, Nurasyikin; Lau, Woei Jye; Ong, Chi Siang; Ismail, Ahmad Fauzi; Matsuura, Takeshi [Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai (Malaysia)

    2015-04-15

    Three composite nanofiltration (NF) membranes made of different substrate materials--polysulfone (PSf), polyethersulfone (PES) and polyetherimide (PEI)--were successfully prepared by interfacial polymerization technique. Prior to filtration tests, the composite NF membranes were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS). It was observed that the surface properties of composite NF membranes were obviously altered with the use of different substrate materials. The separation performance of the prepared composite NF membranes was further evaluated by varying operating conditions, which included feed salt concentration and operating temperature. Experimental results showed that the water flux of all TFC membranes tended to decrease with increasing Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4} concentration in feed solution, due to the increase in feed osmotic pressure. Of the three TFC membranes studied, PSf-based membrane demonstrated the highest salt rejection but lowest water flux owing to its highest degree of polyamide cross-linking as shown in XPS data. With respect to thermal stability, PEI-based TFC membrane outperformed the rest, overcoming the trade-off effect between permeability and rejection when the feed solution temperature was gradually increased from 30 .deg. C to 80 .deg. C. In addition, the relatively smoother surface of hydrophilic PEI-based membrane when compared with PSf-based membrane was found to be less susceptible to BSA foulants, leading to lower flux decline. This is because smoother surface of polyamide layer would have minimum 'valley clogging,' which improves membrane anti-fouling resistance.

  4. Combination of Bioactive Polymeric Membranes and Stem Cells for Periodontal Regeneration: In Vitro and In Vivo Analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Flávia; de Moraes, Míriam Santos; Ferreira, Lorraine Braga; Carreira, Ana Cláudia Oliveira; Kossugue, Patrícia Mayumi; Boaro, Letícia Cristina Cidreira; Bentini, Ricardo; Garcia, Célia Regina da Silva; Sogayar, Mari Cleide; Arana-Chavez, Victor Elias; Catalani, Luiz Henrique

    2016-01-01

    Regeneration of periodontal tissues requires a concerted effort to obtain consistent and predictable results in vivo. The aim of the present study was to test a new family of bioactive polymeric membranes in combination with stem cell therapy for periodontal regeneration. In particular, the novel polyester poly(isosorbide succinate-co-L-lactide) (PisPLLA) was compared with poly(L-lactide) (PLLA). Both polymers were combined with collagen (COL), hydroxyapatite (HA) and the growth factor bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7), and their osteoinductive capacity was evaluated via in vitro and in vivo experiments. Membranes composed of PLLA/COL/HA or PisPLLA/COL/HA were able to promote periodontal regeneration and new bone formation in fenestration defects in rat jaws. According to quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Alizarin Red assays, better osteoconductive capacity and increased extracellular mineralization were observed for PLLA/COL/HA, whereas better osteoinductive properties were associated with PisPLLA/COL/HA. We concluded that membranes composed of either PisPLLA/COL/HA or PLLA/COL/HA present promising results in vitro as well as in vivo and that these materials could be potentially applied in periodontal regeneration.

  5. Biocompatibility of polypropylene non-woven fabric membrane via UV-induced graft polymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song Lingjie [State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhao Jie; Yang Huawei; Jin Jing; Li Xiaomeng [State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Stagnaro, Paola [Istituto per Io Studio delle Macromolecole, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via de Marini 6, 16149 Genova (Italy); Yin Jinghua, E-mail: yinjh@ciac.jl.cn [State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China)

    2011-10-15

    This work described the graft polymerization of a sulfonic acid terminated monomer, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), onto the surface of polypropylene non-woven (NWF PP) membrane by O{sub 2} plasma pretreatment and UV-induced photografting method. The chemical structure and composition of the modified surfaces were analyzed by FTIR-ATR and XPS, respectively. The wettability was investigated by water contact angle and equilibrium water adsorption. And the biocompatibility of the modified NWF PP membranes was evaluated by protein adsorption and platelet adhesion. It was found that the graft density increased with prolonging UV irradiation time and increasing AMPS concentration; the water contact angles of the membranes decreased from 124{sup o} to 26{sup o} with the increasing grafting density of poly(AMPS) from 0 to 884.2 {mu}g cm{sup -2}, while the equilibrium water adsorption raised from 5 wt% to 75 wt%; the protein absorption was effectively suppressed with the introduction of poly(AMPS) even at the low grafting density (132.4 {mu}g cm{sup -2}); the number of platelets adhering to the modified membrane was dramatically reduced when compared with that on its virgin surface. These results indicated that surface modification of NWF PP membrane with AMPS was a facile approach to construct biocompatible surface.

  6. Self-assembled Block Copolymer Membrane

    KAUST Repository

    Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

    2012-12-20

    Embodiments of the invention include methods for the production of porous membranes. In certain aspects the methods are directed to producing polymeric porous membranes having a narrow pore size distribution.

  7. Self-assembled Block Copolymer Membrane

    KAUST Repository

    Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

    2012-01-01

    Embodiments of the invention include methods for the production of porous membranes. In certain aspects the methods are directed to producing polymeric porous membranes having a narrow pore size distribution.

  8. Measure of pore size in micro filtration polymeric membrane using ultrasonic technique and artificial neural networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucas, Carla de Souza

    2009-01-01

    This work presents a study of the pore size in micro filtration polymeric membranes, used in the nuclear area for the filtration of radioactive liquid effluent, in the residual water treatment of the petrochemical industry, in the electronic industry for the ultrapure water production for the manufacture of conductors and laundering of microcircuits and in many other processes of separation. Diverse processes for measures of pores sizes in membranes exist, amongst these, electronic microscopy, of bubble point and mercury intrusion porosimetry, however the majority of these uses destructive techniques, of high cost or great time of analysis. The proposal of this work is to measure so great of pore being used ultrasonic technique in the time domain of the frequency and artificial neural networks. A receiving/generator of ultrasonic pulses, a immersion transducer of 25 MHz was used, a tank of immersion and microporous membranes of pores sizes of 0,2 μm, 0,4 μm, 0,6 μm, 8 μm, 10 μm and 12 μm. The ultrasonic signals after to cover the membrane, come back to the transducer (emitting/receiving) bringing information of the interaction of the signal with the membranes. These signals had been used for the training of neural networks, and these had supplied the necessary precision the distinction of the same ones. Soon after, technique with the one of electronic microscopy of sweepings was made the comparison of this. The experiment showed very resulted next to the results gotten with the MEV, what it indicated that the studied technique is ideal for measure of pore size in membranes for being not destructive and of this form to be able to be used also on-line of production. (author)

  9. High Antifouling Property of Ion-Selective Membrane: toward In Vivo Monitoring of pH Change in Live Brain of Rats with Membrane-Coated Carbon Fiber Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Jie; Xiao, Tongfang; Wu, Fei; Yu, Ping; Mao, Lanqun

    2016-11-15

    In vivo monitoring of pH in live brain remains very essential to understanding acid-base chemistry in various physiological processes. This study demonstrates a potentiometric method for in vivo monitoring of pH in the central nervous system with carbon fiber-based proton-selective electrodes (CF-H + ISEs) with high antifouling property. The CF-H + ISEs are prepared by formation of a H + -selective membrane (H + ISM) with polyvinyl chloride polymeric matrixes containing plasticizer bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate, H + ionophore tridodecylamine, and ion exchanger potassium tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)borate onto carbon fiber electrodes (CFEs). Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that the H + ISM exhibits strong antifouling property against proteins, which enables the CF-H + ISEs to well maintain the sensitivity and reversibility for pH sensing after in vivo measurements. Moreover, the CF-H + ISEs exhibit a good response to pH changes within a narrow physiological pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 in quick response time with high reversibility and selectivity against species endogenously existing in the central nervous system. The applicability of the CF-H + ISEs is illustrated by real-time monitoring of pH changes during acid-base disturbances, in which the brain acidosis is induced by CO 2 inhalation and brain alkalosis is induced by bicarbonate injections. The results demonstrate that brain pH value rapidly decreases in the amygdaloid nucleus by ca. 0.14 ± 0.01 (n = 5) when the rats breath in pure CO 2 gas, while increases in the cortex by about 0.77 ± 0.12 (n = 3) following intraperitoneal injection of 5 mmol/kg NaHCO 3 . This study demonstrates a new potentiometric method for in vivo measurement of pH change in the live brain of rats with high reliability.

  10. Solutocapillary Convection Effects on Polymeric Membrane Morphology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krantz, William B.; Todd, Paul W.; Kinagurthu, Sanjay

    1996-01-01

    Macro voids are undesirable large pores in membranes used for purification. They form when membranes are cast as thin films on a smooth surface by evaporating solvent (acetone) from a polymer solution. There are two un-tested hypotheses explaining the growth of macro voids. One states that diffusion of the non-solvent (water) is solely responsible, while the other states that solutocapillary convection is the primary cause of macro void growth. Solutocapillary convection is flow-caused by a concentration induced surface-tension gradient. Macrovoid growth in the former hypothesis is gravity independent, while in the latter it is opposed by gravity. To distinguish between these two hypotheses, experiments were designed to cast membranes in zero-gravity. A semi-automated apparatus was designed and built for casting membranes during the 20 secs of zero-g time available in parabolic aircraft flight such as NASA's KC-135. The phase changes were monitored optically, and membrane morphology was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These studies appear to be the first quantitative studies of membrane casting in micro-gravity which incorporate real-time data acquisition. Morphological studies of membranes cast at 0, 1, and 1.8 g revealed the presence of numerous, sparse and no macrovoids respectively. These results are consistent with the predictions of the solutocapillary hypothesis of macrovoid growth.

  11. [Evaluation of the Peusner's coefficients matrix for polymeric membrane and ternary non-electrolyte solutions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jasik-Slęzak, Jolanta; Slęzak-Prochazka, Izabella; Slęzak, Andrzej

    2014-01-01

    A system of network forms of Kedem-Katchalsky (K-K) equations for ternary non-electrolyte solutions is made of eight matrix equations containing Peusner's coefficients R(ij), L(ij), H(ij), W(ij), K(ij), N(ij), S(ij) or P(ij) (i, j ∈ {1, 2, 3}). The equations are the result of symmetric or hybrid transformation of the classic form of K-K equations by the use of methods of Peusner's network thermodynamics (PNT). Calculating concentration dependences of the determinant of Peusner's coefficients matrixes R(ij), L(ij), H(ij), W(ij), S(ij), N(ij), K(ij) and P(ij) (i, j ∈ {1, 2, 3}). The material used in the experiment was a hemodialysis Nephrophan membrane with specified transport properties (L(p), σ, Ω) in aqueous glucose and ethanol solution. The method involved equations for determinants of the matrixes coefficients R(ij), L(ij), H(ij), W(ij), S(ij), N(ij), K(ij) or P(ij) (i, j ∈ {1, 2, 3}). The objective of calculations were dependences of determinants of Peusner's coeffcients matrixes R(ij), L(ij), H(ij), W(ij), S(ij), N(ij), K(ij) or P(ij) (i, j ∈ {1, 2, 3}) within the conditions of solution homogeneity upon an average concentration of one component of solution in the membrane (C1) with a determined value of the second component (C2). The method of calculating the determinants of Peusner's coeffcients matrixes R(ij), L(ij), H(ij), W(ij), S(ij), N(ij), K(ij) or P(ij) (i, j ∈ {1, 2, 3}) is a new tool that may be applicable in studies on membrane transport. Calculations showed that the coefficients are sensitive to concentration and composition of solutions separated by a polymeric membrane.

  12. Membrane-based ethylene/ethane separation: The upper bound and beyond

    KAUST Repository

    Rungta, Meha

    2013-08-02

    Ethylene/ethane separation via cryogenic distillation is extremely energy-intensive, and membrane separation may provide an attractive alternative. In this paper, ethylene/ethane separation performance using polymeric membranes is summarized, and an experimental ethylene/ethane polymeric upper bound based on literature data is presented. A theoretical prediction of the ethylene/ethane upper bound is also presented, and shows good agreement with the experimental upper bound. Further, two ways to overcome the ethylene/ethane upper bound, based on increasing the sorption or diffusion selectivity, is also discussed, and a review on advanced membrane types such as facilitated transport membranes, zeolite and metal organic framework based membranes, and carbon molecular sieve membranes is presented. Of these, carbon membranes have shown the potential to surpass the polymeric ethylene/ethane upper bound performance. Furthermore, a convenient, potentially scalable method for tailoring the performance of carbon membranes for ethylene/ethane separation based on tuning the pyrolysis conditions has also been demonstrated. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  13. Método potenciométrico para determinação de cobre em cachaça Potentiometric method for copper determination in sugarcane spirit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivo L. Küchler

    1999-06-01

    Full Text Available 'Cachaça' is the Brazilian name for the spirit obtained from sugarcane. According to Brazilian regulations, it may be sold raw or with addition of sugar and may contain up to 5 mg/L of copper. Copper in "cachaça" was determined by titration with EDTA, using a homemade copper membrane electrode for end-point detection. It was found a pooled standard deviation of 0,057 mg/L and there was no significant difference between the results obtained by the potentiometric method and by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with standard addition. Among the 21 'cachaça' samples from 16 different brands analyzed, three overpassed the legal copper limit. For its characteristics of accuracy, precision, and speed, the potentiometric method may be employed advantageously in routine analysis, specially when low cost is a major concern.

  14. UV-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid in the sub-micronchannels of oxidized PET track-etched membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korolkov, Ilya V.; Mashentseva, Anastassiya A.; Güven, Olgun; Taltenov, Abzal A.

    2015-12-01

    In this article, we report on functionalization of track-etched membrane based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET TeMs) oxidized by advanced oxidation systems and by grafting of acrylic acid using photochemical initiation technique for the purpose of increasing functionality thus expanding its practical application. Among advanced oxidation processes (H2O2/UV) system had been chosen to introduce maximum concentration of carboxylic acid groups. Benzophenone (BP) photo-initiator was first immobilized on the surfaces of cylindrical pores which were later filled with aq. acrylic acid solution. UV-irradiation from both sides of PET TeMs has led to the formation of grafted poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) chains inside the membrane sub-micronchannels. Effect of oxygen-rich surface of PET TeMs on BP adsorption and subsequent process of photo-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) were studied by ESR. The surface of oxidized and AA grafted PET TeMs was characterized by UV-vis, ATR-FTIR, XPS spectroscopies and by SEM.

  15. Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River water management district and vicinity, Florida, September 2005

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.

    2006-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 2005. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 643 wells during the period September 12-28, near the end of the wet season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and springflow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  16. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, September 2008

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2009-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 2008. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 589 wells during the period September 15-25, near the end of the wet season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  17. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2009-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2009. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 625 wells during the period May 14 - May 29, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to groundwater withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Groundwater withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Groundwater in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  18. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, September 2007

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2008-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 2007. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 554 wells during the period September 15-27, near the end of the wet season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  19. Potentiometric surface of the upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity, Florida, September, 2004

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.

    2005-01-01

    Introduction: This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity in September 2004. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 608 wells during the period September 14-October 1, near the end of the wet season. The shapes of some contours have been inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  20. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2005

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.

    2006-01-01

    INTRODUCTION This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2005. Potentiometric contours are based on water level measurements collected at 598 wens during the period May 5 - 31, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground water withdrawals. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  1. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May, 2004

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Knowles, Leel

    2004-01-01

    INTRODUCTION This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity in May 2001. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 684 wells during the period May 2 - 30, near the end of the dry season. The shapes of some contours have been inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  2. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2006

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.

    2006-01-01

    Introduction: This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2006. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 599 wells during the period May 14-31, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and springflow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  3. A Novel Ion - selective Polymeric Membrane Sensor for Determining Thallium(I) With High Selectivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kassim, Anuar; Rezayi, Majid; Ahmadzadeh, Saeid; Yusof, Noor Azah; Tee, Tan Wee; Abdullah, Abd Halim [Department of Chemistry Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Rounaghi, Gholamhossein; Mohajeri, Masoomeh [Department of Chemistry, Factuality of Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Mashhad, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Heng, Lee Yook, E-mail: anuar@science.upm.edu.my [School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor D.E. (Malaysia)

    2011-02-15

    Thallium is a toxic metal that introduced into the environment mainly as a waste from the production of zinc, cadmium, and lead and by combustion of coal. Thallium causes gastrointestinal irritation and nerve damage when people are exposed to it for relatively short period of time. For long term, thallium has the potential to cause the following effects: change in blood chemistry, damage to liver, kidney, intestinal and testicular tissue, and hair loss. In this work a membrane was prepared by use of 4'-nitrobenzo -18-crown-6 (4'NB18C6) as an ion carrier, polyvinylchloride (PVC) as a matrix, and diocthylphetalate (DOP) as a plasticizer for making an ion selective electrode for measurement of Tl{sup +} cation in solutions. The amount of 4'-nitrobenzo-18C6 and polyvinylchloride were optimized in the preparation of the membrane. The response of the electrode was Nernstian within the concentration range 1.0 x 10{sup -8} to 1.0 x 10{sup -1}M. This sensor displays a drift in Nernstian response for this cation with increasing the amount of ionophore and decreasing the amount of polyvinylchloride.The results of potentiometric measurements showed that, this electrode also responses to Cu{sup 2+} Ni{sup 2+} and Pb{sup 2+} cations, but the electrode has a wider dynamic range and a lower detection limit to Tl{sup +} cation. The effects of various parameters such as pH, different cations interferences, effect of the amount of ionophore and polyvinylchloride and time on response of the coated ion selective electrode were investigated. Finally the constructed electrode was used in complexometric and precipitation titrations of Tl{sup +} cation with EDTA and KBr, respectively. The response of the fabricated electrode at concentration range from 1.0 x 10{sup -8} to 1.0 x 10{sup -1}M is linear with a Nernstian slope of 57.27 mV.

  4. Potentiometric titration of metal ions in ethanol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Graham T T; Mohamed, Mark F; Neverov, Alexei A; Brown, R S

    2006-09-18

    The potentiometric titrations of Zn2+, Cu2+ and 12 Ln3+ metal ions were obtained in ethanol to determine the titration constants (defined as the at which the [-OEt]/[Mx+]t ratios are 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5) and in two cases (La3+ and Zn2+) a complete speciation diagram. Several simple monobasic acids and aminium ions were also titrated to test the validity of experimental titration measurements and to establish new constants in this medium that will be useful for the preparation of buffers and standard solutions. The dependence of the titration constants on the concentration and type of metal ion and specific counterion effects is discussed. In selected cases, the titration profiles were analyzed using a commercially available fitting program to obtain information about the species present in solution, including La3+ for which a dimer model is proposed. The fitting provides the microscopic values for deprotonation of one to four metal-bound ethanol molecules. Kinetics for the La3+-catalyzed ethanolysis of paraoxon as a function of are presented and analyzed in terms of La3+ speciation as determined by the analysis of potentiometric titration curves. The stability constants for the formation of Zn2+ and Cu2+ complexes with 1,5,9-triazacyclododecane as determined by potentiometric titration are presented.

  5. Open-Source Low-Cost Wireless Potentiometric Instrument for pH Determination Experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Hao; Qin, Yiheng; Pan, Si; Alam, Arif U.; Dong, Shurong; Ghosh, Raja; Deen, M. Jamal

    2018-01-01

    pH determination is an essential experiment in many chemistry laboratories. It requires a potentiometric instrument with extremely low input bias current to accurately measure the voltage between a pH sensing electrode and a reference electrode. In this technology report, we propose an open-source potentiometric instrument for pH determination…

  6. Exploring the structure-properties relationships of novel polyamide thin film composite membranes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Briceño, Kelly; Javakhishvili, Irakli; Guo, Haofei

    Polysulfone (PSU) is a material widely used in the fabrication of membranes for ultrafiltration and as a support for nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Interfacial polymerization usually combines amine and acid chloride monomers for the fabrication of thin film composite membranes[1......] . However, only few publications describe it’s usage for the modification of supports for the fabrication of ultrafiltration membranes [2]. This research focuses on the modification of PSU supports to produce new ultrafiltration membranes. The advantages of interfacial polymerization in the fabrication...... of UF membranes includes: Negatively charged PSF surfaces that could be less prone to biofouling Scale up process for the modification of PSU. An alternative to costly and technically challenging processes as in situ interfacial polymerization [3]....

  7. Fluoropolymer materials and architectures prepared by controlled radical polymerizations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Natanya Majbritt Louie; Jankova Atanasova, Katja; Hvilsted, Søren

    2007-01-01

    This review initially summarizes the mechanisms, merits and limitations of the three controlled radical polymerizations: nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP), atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) or metal catalyzed living radical polymerization, and reversible addition–fragmentation chain...... transfer (RAFT) polymerization. This is followed by two parts, one dealing with homo- and copolymerizations of fluorinated methacrylates and acrylates, and a second where fluorinated styrenes, alone or in combination with other monomers, are the main issues. In these parts, initiators (including...... properties and functionalities that can be obtained from these novel fluorinated materials and architectures are especially emphasized. Thus, various amphiphilic, biocompatible or low energy materials, fluorinated nanoparticles and nanoporous films/membranes as well as materials for submicron and nanolevel...

  8. Semipermeable thin-film membranes comprising siloxane, alkoxysilyl and aryloxysilyl oligomers and copolymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babcock, Walter C.; Friesen, Dwayne T.

    1988-01-01

    Novel semiperimeable membranes and thin film composite (TFC) gas separation membranes useful in the separation of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, lower hydrocarbons, and other gases are disclosed. The novel semipermeable membranes comprise the polycondensation reaction product of two complementary polyfunctional compounds, each having at least two functional groups that are mutually reactive in a condensation polymerization reaction, and at least one of which is selected from siloxanes, alkoxsilyls and aryloxysilyls. The TFC membrane comprises a microporous polymeric support, the surface of which has the novel semipermeable film formed thereon, preferably by interfacial polymerization.

  9. Ceramic and polymeric devices for breast brachytherapy - Mammographic and CT response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nogueira, Luciana B.; Campos, Tarcisio P.R.

    2009-01-01

    The present research investigates the radiological visibility of ceramic and polymeric devices implanted in breast phantom (in vitro) for future applications in brachytherapy treatments. The main research goal is to investigate the viability of monitoring ceramic and polymeric devices, in vitro based on simple methods of radiological diagnostic, maintaining the easiest access to the population, represented by the conventional X-ray and mammography. The methodology involves the processing of ceramic devices constituted by bioglasses of Sm, SmBa, Ho, HoBa and the production of polymeric devices, such as polymeric membranes incorporating Ho e HoBa. Contrast agent of Barium was introduced in the syntheses of those devices to improve the radiological visibility in breast equivalent-tissue (TE) phantom. The breast phantom is constituted of glandular, adipose and skin TE, reproducing a 5 cm compressed real breast. In the compressed breast phantom, all types of ceramic and polymeric devices were implanted side by side. Radiological images were generated through X-ray equipment, mammography and computerized tomography (TC), for the samples implanted in the compressed breast phantom. The results show that SmBa and HoBa seeds on breast phantom presented suitable radiological visibility, on all the radiological diagnostic methods. However, the X-rays radiological visibility of Sm seeds without contrast was discreet. On mammography and TC images, it was not possible to identify those seeds, because the same ones were degraded after two months immersed in the glandular TE, after placed on the phantom. The Ho seeds were identified on all radiological diagnostic images, although non contrast agent in its constitution was added. However, the holmium polymeric membranes in direct contact with TE did not show Xray radiological visibility. However, the polymeric membranes of HoBa in the same conditions presented efficient X-rays radiological response. For mammography and TC methods

  10. Membrane-based technologies for biogas separations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basu, Subhankar; Khan, Asim L; Cano-Odena, Angels; Liu, Chunqing; Vankelecom, Ivo F J

    2010-02-01

    Over the past two decades, membrane processes have gained a lot of attention for the separation of gases. They have been found to be very suitable for wide scale applications owing to their reasonable cost, good selectivity and easily engineered modules. This critical review primarily focuses on the various aspects of membrane processes related to the separation of biogas, more in specific CO(2) and H(2)S removal from CH(4) and H(2) streams. Considering the limitations of inorganic materials for membranes, the present review will only focus on work done with polymeric materials. An overview on the performance of commercial membranes and lab-made membranes highlighting the problems associated with their applications will be given first. The development studies carried out to enhance the performance of membranes for gas separation will be discussed in the subsequent section. This review has been broadly divided into three sections (i) performance of commercial polymeric membranes (ii) performance of lab-made polymeric membranes and (iii) performance of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for gas separations. It will include structural modifications at polymer level, polymer blending, as well as synthesis of mixed matrix membranes, for which addition of silane-coupling agents and selection of suitable fillers will receive special attention. Apart from an overview of the different membrane materials, the study will also highlight the effects of different operating conditions that eventually decide the performance and longevity of membrane applications in gas separations. The discussion will be largely restricted to the studies carried out on polyimide (PI), cellulose acetate (CA), polysulfone (PSf) and polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) membranes, as these membrane materials have been most widely used for commercial applications. Finally, the most important strategies that would ensure new commercial applications will be discussed (156 references).

  11. Nano level detection of Cd(II) using poly(vinyl chloride) based membranes of Schiff bases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gupta, Vinod K. [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India)], E-mail: vinodfcy@iitr.ernet.in; Al Khayat, Maysoon [Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah (United Arab Emirates); Singh, Ashok K.; Pal, Manoj K. [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India)

    2009-02-16

    The construction and performance characteristics of polymeric membrane electrodes based on two neutral ionophores, 2,2'-(1Z,1'Z)-(1E,1'E)-(1,2-phenylenebis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene)) bis(azaan-1-yl-1-ylidene)bis(methylene)bis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene) bis(methan-1-yl-ylidene)diphenol (L{sub 1}) and 4,4'-(1E,1'E)-(butane-1,4-diylbis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene)) bis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene)dinaphthalen-1-ol (L{sub 2}) for quantification of cadmium ions, are described. The influences of membrane compositions on the potentiometric response of the electrodes have been found to substantially improve the performance characteristics. The best performance was obtained with the electrode having a membrane composition (w/w) of (L{sub 1}) (2.6%):PVC (31.6%):DOP (63.2%):NaTPB (2.6%). The proposed electrode exhibits Nernstian response in the concentration range 5.0 x 10{sup -9} to 1.0 x 10{sup -1} M Cd{sup 2+} with limit of detection 3.1 x 10{sup -9}, performs satisfactorily over wide pH range (2.0-8.5) with a fast response time (11 s). The electrode has been found to work satisfactorily in partially non-aqueous media up to 40% (v/v) content of methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile and could be used for a period of 2.5 months. The analytical usefulness of the proposed electrode has been evaluated by its application in the determination of cadmium in cigarette samples. The practical utility of the membrane electrode has also been observed in the presence of surfactants.

  12. CO2 capture by polymeric membranes composed of hyper-branched polymers with dense poly(oxyethylene comb and poly(amidoamine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taniguchi Ikuo

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Due to CO2-philic nature of polyoxyethylene (POE, a dense POE comb structure was tethered onto PMMA backbone to develop CO2 separation membranes over N2. The resulting hyper-branched polymers displayed preferential CO2 permeation. When the polymer thin layer was formed on a high gas permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS support by a spray-coating manner, the resulting thin film composite (TFC membranes displayed very high CO2 permeability. However, the CO2 selectivity, which was the permeability ratio of CO2 over N2, was moderate and lower than 50. To enhance the selectivity, poly(amidoamine (PAMAM was introduced to the hyper-branched polymers in the CO2-selective layer of the TFC membranes. The CO2 selectivity increased from 47 to 90 with increasing PAMAM content to 40 wt%, and it was drastically enhanced to 350 with PAMAM content of 50 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and laser microscope revealed formation of PAMAM-rich domain at the higher amine content, where CO2 could readily migrate in comparison to the other polymeric fractions.

  13. CO2 capture by polymeric membranes composed of hyper-branched polymers with dense poly(oxyethylene) comb and poly(amidoamine)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taniguchi, Ikuo; Wada, Norihisa; Kinugasa, Kae; Higa, Mitsuru

    2017-11-01

    Due to CO2-philic nature of polyoxyethylene (POE), a dense POE comb structure was tethered onto PMMA backbone to develop CO2 separation membranes over N2. The resulting hyper-branched polymers displayed preferential CO2 permeation. When the polymer thin layer was formed on a high gas permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) support by a spray-coating manner, the resulting thin film composite (TFC) membranes displayed very high CO2 permeability. However, the CO2 selectivity, which was the permeability ratio of CO2 over N2, was moderate and lower than 50. To enhance the selectivity, poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) was introduced to the hyper-branched polymers in the CO2-selective layer of the TFC membranes. The CO2 selectivity increased from 47 to 90 with increasing PAMAM content to 40 wt%, and it was drastically enhanced to 350 with PAMAM content of 50 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and laser microscope revealed formation of PAMAM-rich domain at the higher amine content, where CO2 could readily migrate in comparison to the other polymeric fractions.

  14. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, September 2006

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2007-01-01

    Introduction This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 2006. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 571 wells during the period September 11-29, near the end of the wet season. Some contours are inferred from previouspotentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  15. Conductor polymeric membranes with potential for application in PEM type fuel cells; Membranas polimericas condutoras com potencialidades para aplicacao em celulas a combustivel do tipo PEM

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brioude, Michel de Meireles; Sodre, Livia Farias; Boaventura Filho, Jaime Soares; Jose, Nadia Mamede [Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil)

    2006-07-01

    In this work two series of membranes were prepared; they were based on hybrid organic-inorganic or composite materials and presented potentiality for application in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, PEMFC. The polymeric phase was constituted of poly(dimethylsiloxane), PDMS, crosslinked with tetra ethoxysilane, TEOS, with a 70%/30% ratio. Phosphotungstic acid (PWA) or the sodium monododecylsulphate (MDS), as proton conductors, were added to the inorganic network, close to the gel point; the mixtures were transferred to a cast. The films were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The membranes showed good properties, as flexibility, thermal and mechanical stability with potentiality to be used as conducting membranes in technological applications. (author)

  16. The effect of protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions on membrane fouling in ultrafiltration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huisman, I.H.; Prádanos, P.; Hernández, A.

    2000-01-01

    It was studied how protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions influence the filtration performance during the ultrafiltration of protein solutions over polymeric membranes. This was done by measuring flux, streaming potential, and protein transmission during filtration of bovine serum albumin

  17. Open ISEmeter: An open hardware high-impedance interface for potentiometric detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salvador, C.; Carbajo, J.; Mozo, J. D.; Mesa, M. S.; Durán, E.; Alvarez, J. L.

    2016-01-01

    In this work, a new open hardware interface based on Arduino to read electromotive force (emf) from potentiometric detectors is presented. The interface has been fully designed with the open code philosophy and all documentation will be accessible on web. The paper describes a comprehensive project including the electronic design, the firmware loaded on Arduino, and the Java-coded graphical user interface to load data in a computer (PC or Mac) for processing. The prototype was tested by measuring the calibration curve of a detector. As detection element, an active poly(vinyl chloride)-based membrane was used, doped with cetyltrimethylammonium dodecylsulphate (CTA"+-DS"−). The experimental measures of emf indicate Nernstian behaviour with the CTA"+ content of test solutions, as it was described in the literature, proving the validity of the developed prototype. A comparative analysis of performance was made by using the same chemical detector but changing the measurement instrumentation.

  18. Controlled Bulk Properties of Composite Polymeric Solutions for Extensive Structural Order of Honeycomb Polysulfone Membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gugliuzza, Annarosa; Perrotta, Maria Luisa; Drioli, Enrico

    2016-05-16

    This work provides additional insights into the identification of operating conditions necessary to overcome a current limitation to the scale-up of the breath figure method, which is regarded as an outstanding manufacturing approach for structurally ordered porous films. The major restriction concerns, indeed, uncontrolled touching droplets at the boundary. Herein, the bulk of polymeric solutions are properly managed to generate honeycomb membranes with a long-range structurally ordered texture. Water uptake and dynamics are explored as chemical environments are changed with the intent to modify the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance and local water floatation. In this context, a model surfactant such as the polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate is used in combination with alcohols at different chain length extents and a traditional polymer such as the polyethersufone. Changes in the interfacial tension and kinematic viscosity taking place in the bulk of composite solutions are explored and examined in relation to competitive droplet nucleation and growth rate. As a result, extensive structurally ordered honeycomb textures are obtained with the rising content of the surfactant while a broad range of well-sized pores is targeted as a function of the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance and viscosity of the composite polymeric mixture. The experimental findings confirm the consistency of the approach and are expected to give propulsion to the commercially production of breath figures films shortly.

  19. Controlled Bulk Properties of Composite Polymeric Solutions for Extensive Structural Order of Honeycomb Polysulfone Membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annarosa Gugliuzza

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available This work provides additional insights into the identification of operating conditions necessary to overcome a current limitation to the scale-up of the breath figure method, which is regarded as an outstanding manufacturing approach for structurally ordered porous films. The major restriction concerns, indeed, uncontrolled touching droplets at the boundary. Herein, the bulk of polymeric solutions are properly managed to generate honeycomb membranes with a long-range structurally ordered texture. Water uptake and dynamics are explored as chemical environments are changed with the intent to modify the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance and local water floatation. In this context, a model surfactant such as the polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate is used in combination with alcohols at different chain length extents and a traditional polymer such as the polyethersufone. Changes in the interfacial tension and kinematic viscosity taking place in the bulk of composite solutions are explored and examined in relation to competitive droplet nucleation and growth rate. As a result, extensive structurally ordered honeycomb textures are obtained with the rising content of the surfactant while a broad range of well-sized pores is targeted as a function of the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance and viscosity of the composite polymeric mixture. The experimental findings confirm the consistency of the approach and are expected to give propulsion to the commercially production of breath figures films shortly.

  20. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2007

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2007-01-01

    Introduction This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2007. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 566 wells during the period May 4-June 11 near the end of the dry season, however most of the water level data for this map were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during the period May 21-25, 2007. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  1. Synthesis of polymeric micro- and nanostructural materials for application in non-linear optics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kravets, Lyubov; Palistrant, Natalia; Bivol, Valerii; Robu, Stepan; Barba, Nikolai; Orelovitch, Oleg

    2007-01-01

    The present paper describes a new approach developed for the preparation of micro- and nanostructural materials on the basis of polymeric compositions used as a matrix in non-linear optics. This approach consists in filling the pores of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track membranes (PET TM) from polymeric compositions using an impregnation method. It is shown that depending on the concentration of polymeric compositions in the solution it is possible to form a variety of micro- and nanostructural materials (tubules and wires as well as composite membranes) with a wide spectrum of characteristics. The developed method of producing micro- and nanostructural materials provides a possible way for creating polymeric objects with non-linear optic properties which can be used to design electronic micro- and nanodevices and to obtain chemical and optical sensors

  2. A solid-contact Pb2+-selective electrode using poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene) as ion-to-electron transducer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Shunyang; Li Fuhai; Yin Tanji; Liu Yongming; Pan, Dawei; Qin Wei

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → All reagents used for the electrodes preparation were commercially available. → The lower detection limit of the proposed electrode reached subnanomolar levels. → No water film was observed with conventional commercially available PVC ion-sensing membranes. → This research provides an excellent strategy for fabrication of robust polymeric ion sensors. - Abstract: In this work, a novel all-solid-state polymeric membrane Pb 2+ -selective electrode was developed by using for the first time poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV) as solid contact. To demonstrate the ion-to-electron transducing ability of MEH-PPV, chronopotentiometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were carried out. The proposed electrodes showed a Nernstian response of 29.1 mV decade -1 and a lower detection limit of subnanomolar level. No water film was observed with the conventional plasticized PVC membrane. This work demonstrates a new strategy for the fabrication of robust potentiometric ion sensors.

  3. A solid-contact Pb{sup 2+}-selective electrode using poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene) as ion-to-electron transducer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu Shunyang [CAS and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003 (China); Li Fuhai [CAS and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003 (China); Chemistry and Chemical Engineering College, Yantai University, Yantai 264005 (China); Yin Tanji [CAS and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003 (China); Liu Yongming [Chemistry and Chemical Engineering College, Yantai University, Yantai 264005 (China); Pan, Dawei [CAS and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003 (China); Qin Wei, E-mail: wqin@yic.ac.cn [CAS and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003 (China)

    2011-09-30

    Highlights: {yields} All reagents used for the electrodes preparation were commercially available. {yields} The lower detection limit of the proposed electrode reached subnanomolar levels. {yields} No water film was observed with conventional commercially available PVC ion-sensing membranes. {yields} This research provides an excellent strategy for fabrication of robust polymeric ion sensors. - Abstract: In this work, a novel all-solid-state polymeric membrane Pb{sup 2+}-selective electrode was developed by using for the first time poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV) as solid contact. To demonstrate the ion-to-electron transducing ability of MEH-PPV, chronopotentiometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were carried out. The proposed electrodes showed a Nernstian response of 29.1 mV decade{sup -1} and a lower detection limit of subnanomolar level. No water film was observed with the conventional plasticized PVC membrane. This work demonstrates a new strategy for the fabrication of robust potentiometric ion sensors.

  4. Technology of ceramic and polymeric membranes for oil/water separation; Tecnologia de membranas ceramicas e polimericas para separacao oleo/agua

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, A.A; Souto, K.M; Silva, Adriano A.; Lira, H.L.; Carvalho, L.H.; Costa, A.C.F.M. [Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), PB (Brazil)

    2004-07-01

    In last years, separation techniques by membranes and membranes grew of a laboratory simple tool for an industrial process with a considerable technical and commercial impact. Today, membranes have been being widely used in the treatment of the oily/water, because they offer chemical, thermal resistance and resistance the pressure for a wide variety of alimentation terms. Membrane can be defined as a barrier that separates two phases and that restricts, total or partially, the transportation of one or several present chemical species in the phases. The morphology of the membrane and nature of the material that constitutes are some characteristics that are going to define application kind. The ideal structure for these filters is the asymmetric, formed by one or more layers of different pores size, with gradual reduction of the pores size, when approaches the side filtrate. Having in mind that the environmental legislations more process with membranes offers a new option to face these challenges. The membranes typically used in the oil and water separation act as a barrier for the emulsified oil and solubilization. In the petroleum production and refined oil water mixed with oil is prosecuted in great volumes in lots of processes, this mixture should be treated to separate the oil of water before it can return to the environment or even to be reused in the process. This review aims relate studies done with ceramic and polymeric membranes using a separation oil/water system mounted in laboratory scale in UFCG/CCT/ANP/PHH25. The results show that filtration membranes, micro filtration and ultrafiltration were very effective in oil/water separation. (author)

  5. Development of a new class of flexible polymeric membranes for sensing, nanofiltration & cascaded separation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Nian

    The last decade has witnessed an explosion of interests in the science and technology of engineered nanomaterials. While the benefits of nanotechnology are widely publicized, the discussion about the transformation of nanomaterials in the environment, and their potential impacts on human health has just begun. Nanoscale particles, whether ultrafine, nano, engineered, intentional, or incidental, pose significant health effects. New approaches for environmental monitoring of nanomaterials at high sensitivity and in real-time are particularly needed. Since nanoparticles must be isolated from complex environmental and biological matrices, the most effective and simple method of isolating engineered nanomaterials from air or water is filtration. Hence the overall project objective of this work is to develop innovative methods that can simultaneously remove, detect and inactivate diverse nanostructured materials. At the center of the technology is a novel class of polymeric filters capable of simultaneously removing and detecting metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. This project reports the development of a new class of self-standing, flexible, phase-inverted, poly(amic) acid membranes with experimentally-controlled nanopores ranging from less than 10nm to greater than 100nm. Compared to most commercial filter membranes, phase-inverted PAA membranes were found to exhibit superior durability and higher efficiency. The filtration efficiency was ˜99.97% for a number of nanoparticles including Quantum Dots, TiO2, Au and Ag. This work also showed that PAA membranes could be used to separate mixtures of nanoparticles. Although the separation does not show much selectivity according to the NPs’ chemical composition, it shows the ability to separate efficiently based on nanoparticle size. PAA showed an excellent performance not only for nanoparticle isolation at sub-nanometer size ranges, but also as a platform for the detection of engineered nanoparticles at low ppb levels

  6. Preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers simazine as material potentiometric sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bow Yohandri

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Molecular imprinting technology is a promising technique for creating recognition elements for selected compounds and has been successfully applied for synthesis of environmental pollutants such as simazine. Simazine is a pesticide ingredient that is commonly used in agriculture, which has devastating effects on the environment if used excessively. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP provides cavities to form a particular space generated by removing the template when the polymer has formed. In this study, MIP using simazine as template had been made by the cooling-heating method and used as a material potentiometric sensor for detecting simazine. A template (simazine was incorporated into a pre-polymerization solution that contains a methacrylic acid as functional monomer, an ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross linker, and benzoyl peroxide as initiator. Characterization was performed by scanning electron microscope (SEM and fourier transforms infra-red (FTIR. The FTIR spectra of the MIP showed that the peaks of amine group decrease significantly, indicating that the simazine concentration decreases drastically. Characterization by SEM images showing the broadest pore size distribution with the highest number of pores in the MIP prepared under the heating time of 150 min. The MIPs therefore could be applied as a simazine sensor.

  7. Potentiometric-surface map, 1993, Yucca Mountain and vicinity, Nevada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tucci, P.; Burkhardt, D.J.

    1995-01-01

    The revised potentiometric surface map here, using mainly 1993 average water levels, updates earlier maps of this area. Water levels are contoured with 20-m intervals, with additional 0.5-m contours in the small-gradient area SE of Yucca Mountain. Water levels range from 728 m above sea level SE of Yucca to 1,034 m above sea level north of Yucca. Potentiometric levels in the deeper parts of the volcanic rock aquifer range from 730 to 785 m above sea level. The potentiometric surface can be divided into 3 regions: A small gradient area E and SE of Yucca, a moderate-gradient area on the west side of Yucca, and a large-gradient area to the N-NE of Yucca. Water levels from wells at Yucca were examined for yearly trends (1986-93) using linear least-squares regression. Of the 22 wells, three had significant positive trends. The trend in well UE-25 WT-3 may be influenced by monitoring equipment problems. Tends in USW WT-7 and USW WTS-10 are similar; both are located near a fault west of Yucca; however another well near that fault exhibited no significant trend

  8. Potentiometric determination of iodides in urine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gikolaev, B.A.; Primakova, L.N.; Rakhman'ko, E.M.

    1996-01-01

    Variants of potentiometric method: determination using a calibrations plot, the Gran method, and the double addition method are considered. The method of double additions of the test solution to the reference one is suggested as the most favorable method of determining iodides in urine under clinical laboratory conditions. Refs. 5, tabs. 2

  9. Potentiometric Titrations for Measuring the Capacitance of Colloidal Photodoped ZnO Nanocrystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brozek, Carl K; Hartstein, Kimberly H; Gamelin, Daniel R

    2016-08-24

    Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals offer a unique opportunity to bridge molecular and bulk semiconductor redox phenomena. Here, potentiometric titration is demonstrated as a method for quantifying the Fermi levels and charging potentials of free-standing colloidal n-type ZnO nanocrystals possessing between 0 and 20 conduction-band electrons per nanocrystal, corresponding to carrier densities between 0 and 1.2 × 10(20) cm(-3). Potentiometric titration of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals has not been described previously, and little precedent exists for analogous potentiometric titration of any soluble reductants involving so many electrons. Linear changes in Fermi level vs charge-carrier density are observed for each ensemble of nanocrystals, with slopes that depend on the nanocrystal size. Analysis indicates that the ensemble nanocrystal capacitance is governed by classical surface electrical double layers, showing no evidence of quantum contributions. Systematic shifts in the Fermi level are also observed with specific changes in the identity of the charge-compensating countercation. As a simple and contactless alternative to more common thin-film-based voltammetric techniques, potentiometric titration offers a powerful new approach for quantifying the redox properties of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals.

  10. Polymeric matrix membrane sensors for stability-indicating potentiometric determination of oxybutynin hydrochloride and flavoxate hydrochloride urogenital system drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heba, Mohamed; Ramadan, Nesrin; El-Laithy, Moustafa

    2008-01-01

    Four polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix membrane electrodes responsive to 2 drugs affecting the urogenital system--oxybutynin hydrochloride (OX) and flavoxate hydrochloride (FX)--were developed, described, and characterized. A precipitation-based technique with tungstophosphate (TP) and ammonium reineckate (R) anions as electroactive materials in a PVC matrix with an OX cation was used for electrode 1 and 2 fabrication, respectively. Electrode 3 and 4 fabrication was based on use of the precipitation technique of FX cation with tetrakis (4-chlorophenyl) borate and R anions as electroactive materials. Fast and stable Nernstian responses in the range 1 x 10(-2)-1 x 10(-6) M for the 2 drugs over the pH range 5-8 revealed the performance characteristics of these electrodes, which were evaluated according to International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry recommendations. The method was applied to FX and OX in their pharmaceutical formulations and in human plasma samples. The 4 proposed sensors were found to be specific for the drugs in the presence of up to 60% of their degradation products. Validation of the method according to the quality assurance standards showed suitability of the proposed electrodes for use in the quality control assessment of these drugs. The recoveries for determination of the drugs by the 4 proposed selective electrodes were 99.5 +/- 0.5, 100.0 +/- 0.4, 99.9 +/- 0.4, and 100.1 +/- 0.4% for sensors 1-4, respectively. Statistical comparison between the results obtained by this method and the official method of the drugs was done, and no significant difference found.

  11. Preparation, characterization and application of urease nanoparticles for construction of an improved potentiometric urea biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jakhar, Seema; Pundir, C S

    2018-02-15

    The nanoparticles (NPs) aggregates of commercial urease from jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis) were prepared by desolvation and glutaraldehyde crosslinking and functionalized by cysteamine dihydrochloride. These enzyme nanoparticles (ENPs) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The TEM images of urease NPs showed their size in the range, 18-100nm with an average of 51.2nm. The ENPs were more active and stable with a longer shelf life than native enzyme molecules. The ENPs were immobilized onto chitosan (CHIT) activated nitrocellulose (NC) membrane via glutaraldehyde coupling with 32.22% retention of initial activity of free ureaseNPs with a conjugation yield of 1.63mg/cm 2 . This NC membrane was mounted at the lower/sensitive end of the ammonium ion selective electrode (AISE) with O-ring and then electrode was connected to a digital pH meter to construct a potentiometric urea biosensor. The biosensor exhibited optimum response within 10s at pH 5.5and 40°C. The biosensor was employed for measurement of potentiometric determination of urea in sera of apparently healthy and persons suffering from kidney disorders. The biosensor displayed a low detection limit of 1µM/L with a wide working range of 2-80µM/L (0.002-0.08mM) and sensitivity of 23mV/decade. The analytical recovery of added urea in serum was 106.33%. The within and between-batch coefficient of variations (CVs) of present biosensor were 0.18% and 0.32% respectively. There was a good correlation (r = 0.99) between sera urea values obtained by reference method (Enzymic colorimetric kit method) and the present biosensor. The biosensor had negligible interference from Na + ,K + ,NH +4 and Ca 2+ but Mg 2+ ,Cu 2+ and ascorbic acid but had slight interference, which was overcome by specific ion selective electrode. The ENPs bound NC membrane was used maximally 8-9 times per day over a period of 180 days, when stored in 0.01M sodium

  12. A Porphyrin Based Potentiometric Sensor for Zn2+ Determination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Lang

    2003-07-01

    Full Text Available PVC based membranes of disodium salt of porphyrin 3,7,12,17-tetramethyl-8, 13-divinyl 2,18-porphine dipropionic acid (I as ionophore with sodium tetra phenyl borate (NaTPB as anion excluder and dibutyl phthalate (DBP, dioctyl phthalate (DOP, dibutyl butyl phosphonate (DBBP, tris(2- ethyl hexylphosphate (TEP, tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP and 1- chloronaphthalene (CN as plasticizing solvent mediators were prepared and constructed for determination of Zn(II. The PVC based membrane of (I with DBBP as plasticizer and having anion excluder, NaTPB in the ratio PVC: I: NaTPB: DBBP (150: 10: 2: 200 gave the best results in terms of working concentration range (1.3×10-5-1.0 ×10-1M with a Nernstian slope (30.0 mV/decade of activity. The useful pH range of the sensor is 3.0 –7.4, beyond which a drift in potential was observed. The response time of the sensor is 10s and the lifetime was about 2 months during which it could be used without any measurable divergence. It had good stability and reproducibility. The membrane worked satisfactorily in non-aqueous medium up to 40% (v/v non-aqueous content. The selectivity coefficient values indicate that the electrode is highly selective for Zn2+ over a number of other cations except Na+ and Cd2+. Although Na+ and Cd2+ are likely to cause some interference, they would not interfere if present at the concentrations < 1 ×10-5 and < 5 ×10-5 M, respectively. The electrode has been used as an indicator electrode to determine the end point in the potentiometric titration of Zn2+ with EDTA.

  13. Use of a Ceramic Membrane to Improve the Performance of Two-Separate-Phase Biocatalytic Membrane Reactor

    OpenAIRE

    Ranieri, G; Mazzei, R; Wu, Z; Li, K; Giorno, L

    2016-01-01

    Biocatalytic membrane reactors (BMR) combining reaction and separation within the same unit have many advantages over conventional reactor designs. Ceramic membranes are an attractive alternative to polymeric membranes in membrane biotechnology due to their high chemical, thermal and mechanical resistance. Another important use is their potential application in a biphasic membrane system, where support solvent resistance is highly needed. In this work, the preparation of asymmetric ceramic ho...

  14. An estimated potentiometric surface of the Death Valley region, Nevada and California, developed using geographic information system and automated interpolation techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'Agnese, F.A.; Faunt, C.C.; Turner, A.K.

    1998-01-01

    An estimated potentiometric surface was constructed for the Death Valley region, Nevada and California, from numerous, disparate data sets. The potentiometric surface was required for conceptualization of the ground-water flow system and for construction of a numerical model to aid in the regional characterization for the Yucca Mountain repository. Because accurate, manual extrapolation of potentiometric levels over large distances is difficult, a geographic-information-system method was developed to incorporate available data and apply hydrogeologic rules during contour construction. Altitudes of lakes, springs, and wetlands, interpreted as areas where the potentiometric surface intercepts the land surface, were combined with water levels from well data. Because interpreted ground-water recharge and discharge areas commonly coincide with groundwater basin boundaries, these areas also were used to constrain a gridding algorithm and to appropriately place local maxima and minima in the potentiometric-surface map. The resulting initial potentiometric surface was examined to define areas where the algorithm incorrectly extrapolated the potentiometric surface above the land surface. A map of low-permeability rocks overlaid on the potentiometric surface also indicated areas that required editing based on hydrogeologic reasoning. An interactive editor was used to adjust generated contours to better represent the natural water table conditions, such as large hydraulic gradients and troughs, or ''vees''. The resulting estimated potentiometric-surface map agreed well with previously constructed maps. Potentiometric-surface characteristics including potentiometric-surface mounds and depressions, surface troughs, and large hydraulic gradients were described

  15. Evaluation of the damage of cell wall and cell membrane for various extracellular polymeric substance extractions of activated sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Xuesong; Liu, Junxin; Xiao, Benyi

    2014-10-20

    Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are susceptible to contamination by intracellular substances released during the extraction of EPS owing to the damage caused to microbial cell structures. The damage to cell walls and cell membranes in nine EPS extraction processes of activated sludge was evaluated in this study. The extraction of EPS (including proteins, carbohydrates and DNA) was the highest using the NaOH extraction method and the lowest using formaldehyde extraction. All nine EPS extraction methods in this study resulted in cell wall and membrane damage. The damage to cell walls, evaluated by 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate (KDO) and N-acetylglucosamine content changes in extracted EPS, was the most significant in the NaOH extraction process. Formaldehyde extraction showed a similar extent of damage to cell walls to those detected in the control method (centrifugation), while those in the formaldehyde-NaOH and cation exchange resin extractions were slightly higher than those detected in the control. N-acetylglucosamine was more suitable than KDO for the evaluation of cell wall damage in the EPS extraction of activated sludge. The damage to cell membranes was characterized by two fluorochromes (propidium iodide and FITC Annexin V) with flow cytometry (FCM) measurement. The highest proportion of membrane-damaged cells was detected in NaOH extraction (26.54% of total cells) while membrane-damaged cells comprised 8.19% of total cells in the control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Potentiometric application of boron- and phosphorus-doped glassy carbon electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ZORAN V. LAUSEVIC

    2001-03-01

    Full Text Available Acomparative study was carried out of the potentiometric application of boronand phosphorus-doped and undoped glassy carbon samples prepared at the same heat treatment temperature (HTT 1000°C. The electrochemical activities of the obtained electrode materials were investigated on the example of argentometric titrations. It was found that the electrochemical behaviour of the doped glassy carbon samples are very similar to a Sigri (undoped glassy carbon sample (HTT 2400°C. The experiments showed that the potentiometric response depends on the polarization mode, the nature of the sample, the pretreatment of the electrode surface, and the nature of the supporting electrolyte. The amounts of iodide, bromide, and of chloridewere determined to be 1.27 mg, 0.80 mg and 0.54 mg, respectively, with a maximum relative standard deviation of less than 1.1%. The obtained results are in good agreement with the results of comparative potentiometric titrations using a silver indicator electrode. The titrationmethod was applied to the indirect determination of pyridoxine hydrochloride, i.e., vitamin B6.

  17. Elasto-plasticity in wrinkled polymerized lipid membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Chaieb, Sahraoui

    2014-01-15

    Biomembranes shown to behave like elastic sheets, can also suffer plastic deformations. Neutron scattering experiments on partially polymerised wrinkled membranes revealed that when a critical degree of polymerisation is crossed, the wrinkled membranes do not resume their spherical shapes. Instead they remain wrinkled and rigid while their non-polymerised counterparts resume their spherical floppy shapes. The yield stress of these membranes, measured for the first time via the fractal dimension, is intimately related to the degree of polymerisation probably through a 2D disorder that quenches the lateral diffusion of the lipid molecules. This work might shed light on the physical reason behind the irreversible deformation of echinocytes, acanthocytes and malaria infected red blood cells.

  18. Elasto-plasticity in wrinkled polymerized lipid membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Chaieb, Saharoui

    2014-01-01

    Biomembranes shown to behave like elastic sheets, can also suffer plastic deformations. Neutron scattering experiments on partially polymerised wrinkled membranes revealed that when a critical degree of polymerisation is crossed, the wrinkled membranes do not resume their spherical shapes. Instead they remain wrinkled and rigid while their non-polymerised counterparts resume their spherical floppy shapes. The yield stress of these membranes, measured for the first time via the fractal dimension, is intimately related to the degree of polymerisation probably through a 2D disorder that quenches the lateral diffusion of the lipid molecules. This work might shed light on the physical reason behind the irreversible deformation of echinocytes, acanthocytes and malaria infected red blood cells.

  19. Polymeric membranes: surface modification for minimizing (bio)colloidal fouling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kochkodan, Victor; Johnson, Daniel J; Hilal, Nidal

    2014-04-01

    This paper presents an overview on recent developments in surface modification of polymer membranes for reduction of their fouling with biocolloids and organic colloids in pressure driven membrane processes. First, colloidal interactions such as London-van der Waals, electrical, hydration, hydrophobic, steric forces and membrane surface properties such as hydrophilicity, charge and surface roughness, which affect membrane fouling, have been discussed and the main goals of the membrane surface modification for fouling reduction have been outlined. Thereafter the recent studies on reduction of (bio)colloidal of polymer membranes using ultraviolet/redox initiated surface grafting, physical coating/adsorption of a protective layer on the membrane surface, chemical reactions or surface modification of polymer membranes with nanoparticles as well as using of advanced atomic force microscopy to characterize (bio)colloidal fouling have been critically summarized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Open ISEmeter: An open hardware high-impedance interface for potentiometric detection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Salvador, C.; Carbajo, J.; Mozo, J. D., E-mail: jdaniel.mozo@diq.uhu.es [Applied Electrochemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Av. 3 de Marzo s/n., 21007 Huelva (Spain); Mesa, M. S.; Durán, E. [Department of Electronics Engineering, Computers and Automatic, ETSI, University of Huelva, Campus de La Rabida, 21810 Huelva (Spain); Alvarez, J. L. [Department of Information Technologies, ETSI, University of Huelva, Campus de La Rabida, 21810 Huelva (Spain)

    2016-05-15

    In this work, a new open hardware interface based on Arduino to read electromotive force (emf) from potentiometric detectors is presented. The interface has been fully designed with the open code philosophy and all documentation will be accessible on web. The paper describes a comprehensive project including the electronic design, the firmware loaded on Arduino, and the Java-coded graphical user interface to load data in a computer (PC or Mac) for processing. The prototype was tested by measuring the calibration curve of a detector. As detection element, an active poly(vinyl chloride)-based membrane was used, doped with cetyltrimethylammonium dodecylsulphate (CTA{sup +}-DS{sup −}). The experimental measures of emf indicate Nernstian behaviour with the CTA{sup +} content of test solutions, as it was described in the literature, proving the validity of the developed prototype. A comparative analysis of performance was made by using the same chemical detector but changing the measurement instrumentation.

  1. Synthesis of nano-sized arsenic-imprinted polymer and its use as As3+ selective ionophore in a potentiometric membrane electrode: Part 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alizadeh, Taher; Rashedi, Mariyam

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The first arsenic cation-selective membrane electrode was introduced. • A novel procedure was introduced for the preparation of As-imprinted polymer. • It was found that arsenic is recognized by the IIP as As 3+ species. • Nernstian response of 20.4 mV decade −1 and DL of 0.5 μM was obtained. - Abstract: In this study, a new strategy was proposed for the preparation of As (III)-imprinted polymer by using arsenic (methacrylate) 3 as template. Precipitation polymerization was utilized to synthesize nano-sized As (III)-imprinted polymer. Methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate were used as the functional monomer and cross-linking agent, respectively. In order to assembly functional monomers around As (III) ion, sodium arsenite and methacrylic acid were heated in the presence of hydroquinone, leading to arsenic (methacrylate) 3 . The nano-sized As (III) selective polymer was characterized by FT-IR and scanning electron microscopy techniques (SEM). It was demonstrated that arsenic was recognized as As 3+ by the selective cavities of the synthesized IIP. Based on the prepared polymer, the first arsenic cation selective membrane electrode was introduced. Membrane electrode was constructed by dispersion of As (III)-imprinted polymer nanoparticles in poly(vinyl chloride), plasticized with di-nonylphthalate. The IIP-modified electrode exhibited a Nernstian response (20.4 ± 0.5 mV decade −1 ) to arsenic ion over a wide concentration range (7.0 × 10 −7 to 1.0 × 10 −1 mol L −1 ) with a lower detection limit of 5.0 × 10 −7 mol L −1 . Unlike this, the non-imprinted polymer (NIP)-based membrane electrode was not sensitive to arsenic in aqueous solution. The selectivity of the developed sensor to As (III) was shown to be satisfactory. The sensor was used for arsenic determination in some real samples

  2. Polymeric membrane materials: new aspects of empirical approaches to prediction of gas permeability parameters in relation to permanent gases, linear lower hydrocarbons and some toxic gases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malykh, O V; Golub, A Yu; Teplyakov, V V

    2011-05-11

    Membrane gas separation technologies (air separation, hydrogen recovery from dehydrogenation processes, etc.) use traditionally the glassy polymer membranes with dominating permeability of "small" gas molecules. For this purposes the membranes based on the low free volume glassy polymers (e.g., polysulfone, tetrabromopolycarbonate and polyimides) are used. On the other hand, an application of membrane methods for VOCs and some toxic gas recovery from air, separation of the lower hydrocarbons containing mixtures (in petrochemistry and oil refining) needs the membranes with preferable penetration of components with relatively larger molecular sizes. In general, this kind of permeability is characterized for rubbers and for the high free volume glassy polymers. Data files accumulated (more than 1500 polymeric materials) represent the region of parameters "inside" of these "boundaries." Two main approaches to the prediction of gas permeability of polymers are considered in this paper: (1) the statistical treatment of published transport parameters of polymers and (2) the prediction using model of ≪diffusion jump≫ with consideration of the key properties of the diffusing molecule and polymeric matrix. In the frames of (1) the paper presents N-dimensional methods of the gas permeability estimation of polymers using the correlations "selectivity/permeability." It is found that the optimal accuracy of prediction is provided at n=4. In the frames of the solution-diffusion mechanism (2) the key properties include the effective molecular cross-section of penetrating species to be responsible for molecular transportation in polymeric matrix and the well known force constant (ε/k)(eff i) of {6-12} potential for gas-gas interaction. Set of corrected effective molecular cross-section of penetrant including noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe), permanent gases (H(2), O(2), N(2), CO), ballast and toxic gases (CO(2), NO(,) NO(2), SO(2), H(2)S) and linear lower hydrocarbons (CH(4

  3. Potentiometric determination of uranium with cobalt (3) acetate as oxidimetric titrant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muhammad, H.; Ishrat, P.; Zyka, J.

    1972-01-01

    A potentiometric method for the determination of uranium through the reduction of hexavalent to tetravalent state and its potentiometric oxidation in 8 N sulphuric acid with standard cobalt (3)-acetate has been worked out. The method is quite accurate with the error not exceeding 1% for mg amounts. Moreover an apparatus for preservation of reduced solution of uranium and its delivery for titrations has been designed. The same apparatus can be used for reducing and preserving solutions of strong reducing titrants. (author)

  4. Gamma radiation grafting process for preparing separator membranes for electrochemical cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agostino, V.F. D'; Lee, J.Y.

    1982-01-01

    An irradiation grafting process for preparing separator membranes for use in electrochemical cells, comprises contacting a polymeric base film with an aqueous solution of a hydrophilic monomer and a polymerization retardant; and irradiating said contacted film to form a graft membrane having low electrical resistivity and having monomer molecules uniformly grafted thereon. In the examples (meth) acrylic acid is grafted on to polyethylene, polypropylene and polytetrafluoroethylene in the presence of ferrous sulphate or cupric sulphate as polymerization retardants. (author)

  5. Development of a pH sensing membrane electrode based on a new calix[4]arene derivative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kormalı Ertürün, H Elif; Demirel Özel, Ayça; Sayın, Serkan; Yılmaz, Mustafa; Kılıç, Esma

    2015-01-01

    A new pH sensing poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane electrode was developed by using recently synthesized 5,17-bis(4-benzylpiperidine-1-yl)methyl-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxy calix[4]arene as an ionophore. The effects of membrane composition, inner filling solution and conditioning solution on the potential response of the proposed pH sensing membrane electrode were investigated. An optimum membrane composition of 3% ionophore, 67% o-nitrophenyl octyl ether (o-NPOE) as plasticizer, 30% PVC was found. The electrode exhibited a near-Nernstian slope of 58.7±1.1 mV pH(-1) in the pH range 1.9-12.7 at 20±1 °C. It showed good selectivity for H(+) ions in the presence of some cations and anions and a longer lifetime of at least 12 months when compared with the other PVC membrane pH electrodes reported in the literature. Having a wide working pH range, it was not only applied as a potentiometric indicator electrode in various acid-base titrations, but also successfully employed in different real samples. It has good reproducibility and repeatability with a response time of 6-7s. Compared to traditional glass pH electrode, it exhibited excellent potentiometric response after being used in fluoride-containing media. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Pyrolytic carbon membranes containing silica: morphological approach on gas transport behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Ho Bum; Lee, Sun Yong; Lee, Young Moo

    2005-04-01

    Pyrolytic carbon membrane containing silica (C-SiO 2) is a new-class material for gas separation, and in the present work we will deal with it in view of the morphological changes arising from the difference in the molecular structure of the polymeric precursors. The silica embedded carbon membranes were fabricated by a predetermined pyrolysis step using imide-siloxane copolymers (PISs) that was synthesized from benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydrides (BTDA), 4,4'-oxydianiline (ODA), and amine-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). To induce different morphologies at the same chemical composition, the copolymers were prepared using one-step (preferentially a random segmented copolymer) sand two-step polymerization (a block segmented copolymer) methods. The polymeric precursors and their pyrolytic C-SiO 2 membranes were analyzed using thermal analysis, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, etc. It was found that the C-SiO 2 membrane derived from the random PIS copolymer showed a micro-structure containing small well-dispersed silica domains, whereas the C-SiO 2 membrane from the block PIS copolymer exhibited a micro-structure containing large silica domains in the continuous carbon matrix. Eventually, the gas transport through these C-SiO 2 membranes was significantly affected by the morphological changes of the polymeric precursors.

  7. Polysulfone - CNT composite membrane with enhanced water permeability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirani, Bhakti; Kar, Soumitra; Aswal, V. K.; Bindal, R. C.; Goyal, P. S.

    2018-04-01

    Polymeric membranes are routinely used for water purification. The performance of these conventional membranes can be improved by incorporating nanomaterials, such as metal oxide nanoparticle and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). This manuscript reports the synthesis and characterization of polysulfone (Psf) based nanocomposite membranes where multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and oleic acid coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles have been impregnated onto the polymeric host matrix. The performance of the membranes was evaluated by water permeability and solute rejection measurements. It was observed that the permeability of Psf membrane increases three times at 0.1% loading of MWCNT without compromise in selectivity. It was further observed that the increase in permeability is not affected upon addition of Fe3O4 nanoparticles into the membrane. In order to get a better insight into the membrane microstructure, small angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies were carried out. There is a good correlation between the water permeability and the pore sizes of the membranes as measured using SANS.

  8. Latest Development on Membrane Fabrication for Natural Gas Purification: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dzeti Farhah Mohshim

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In the last few decades, membrane technology has been a great attention for gas separation technology especially for natural gas sweetening. The intrinsic character of membranes makes them fit for process escalation, and this versatility could be the significant factor to induce membrane technology in most gas separation areas. Membranes were synthesized with various materials which depended on the applications. The fabrication of polymeric membrane was one of the fastest growing fields of membrane technology. However, polymeric membranes could not meet the separation performances required especially in high operating pressure due to deficiencies problem. The chemistry and structure of support materials like inorganic membranes were also one of the focus areas when inorganic membranes showed some positive results towards gas separation. However, the materials are somewhat lacking to meet the separation performance requirement. Mixed matrix membrane (MMM which is comprising polymeric and inorganic membranes presents an interesting approach for enhancing the separation performance. Nevertheless, MMM is yet to be commercialized as the material combinations are still in the research stage. This paper highlights the potential promising areas of research in gas separation by taking into account the material selections and the addition of a third component for conventional MMM.

  9. Modelling and essay or the polarization curve of a polymeric membrane fuel cell; Modelagem e ensaio da curva de polarizacao de uma celula a combustivel de membrana polimerica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almeida, Silvio Carlos Anibal de; Xavier, Bruno Domont; Gatti, George Cassani; Ribeiro, Rodrigo Minguita [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia (COPPE). Programa de Engenharia Mecanica]. E-mails: silvioa@gmail.com; brunodomont@gmail.com; gatti_ufrj@yahoo.com.br; rminguita@yahoo.com.br; Furtado, Jose Geraldo de Melo [Centro de Pesquisas de Energia Eletrica (CEPEL), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Dept. de Tecnologias Especiais]. E-mail: furtado@cepel.br

    2006-07-01

    This paper describes the essays performed with a polymeric membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) at the test laboratories of the ELETROBRAS Electric Energy Research Center (CEPEL/ELETROBRAS) manufactured by the Eletrocell, which allows to study the influence of some functional parameters (voltage, current, mass and pressure fluxes)

  10. Autocatalytic polymerization generates persistent random walk of crawling cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sambeth, R; Baumgaertner, A

    2001-05-28

    The autocatalytic polymerization kinetics of the cytoskeletal actin network provides the basic mechanism for a persistent random walk of a crawling cell. It is shown that network remodeling by branching processes near the cell membrane is essential for the bimodal spatial stability of the network which induces a spontaneous breaking of isotropic cell motion. Details of the phenomena are analyzed using a simple polymerization model studied by analytical and simulation methods.

  11. Comparison of methods for accurate end-point detection of potentiometric titrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villela, R. L. A.; Borges, P. P.; Vyskočil, L.

    2015-01-01

    Detection of the end point in potentiometric titrations has wide application on experiments that demand very low measurement uncertainties mainly for certifying reference materials. Simulations of experimental coulometric titration data and consequential error analysis of the end-point values were conducted using a programming code. These simulations revealed that the Levenberg-Marquardt method is in general more accurate than the traditional second derivative technique used currently as end-point detection for potentiometric titrations. Performance of the methods will be compared and presented in this paper.

  12. Comparison of methods for accurate end-point detection of potentiometric titrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Villela, R L A; Borges, P P; Vyskočil, L

    2015-01-01

    Detection of the end point in potentiometric titrations has wide application on experiments that demand very low measurement uncertainties mainly for certifying reference materials. Simulations of experimental coulometric titration data and consequential error analysis of the end-point values were conducted using a programming code. These simulations revealed that the Levenberg-Marquardt method is in general more accurate than the traditional second derivative technique used currently as end-point detection for potentiometric titrations. Performance of the methods will be compared and presented in this paper

  13. Potentiometric analytical microsystem based on the integration of a gas-diffusion step for on-line ammonium determination in water recycling processes in manned space missions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvo-López, Antonio; Ymbern, Oriol; Puyol, Mar; Casalta, Joan Manel; Alonso-Chamarro, Julián

    2015-05-18

    The design, construction and evaluation of a versatile cyclic olefin copolymer (COC)-based continuous flow potentiometric microanalyzer to monitor the presence of ammonium ion in recycling water processes for future manned space missions is presented. The microsystem integrates microfluidics, a gas-diffusion module and a detection system in a single substrate. The gas-diffusion module was integrated by a hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. The potentiometric detection system is based on an all-solid state ammonium selective electrode and a screen-printed Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The analytical features provided by the analytical microsystem after the optimization process were a linear range from 0.15 to 500 mg L(-1) and a detection limit of 0.07 ± 0.01 mg L(-1). Nevertheless, the operational features can be easily adapted to other applications through the modification of the hydrodynamic variables of the microfluidic platform. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Method of Making Reaction Induced Phase Separation Membranes and Uses Thereof

    KAUST Repository

    Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Aburabie, Jamaliah Hani; Villalobos, Luis Francisco

    2017-01-01

    Provided herein are methods of making asymmetric membranes comprising a first layer and a second layer. The methods include preparing a polymeric solution comprising one or more polymers, casting the polymeric solution to form a polymeric film

  15. Gas separation membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schell, William J.

    1979-01-01

    A dry, fabric supported, polymeric gas separation membrane, such as cellulose acetate, is prepared by casting a solution of the polymer onto a shrinkable fabric preferably formed of synthetic polymers such as polyester or polyamide filaments before washing, stretching or calendering (so called griege goods). The supported membrane is then subjected to gelling, annealing, and drying by solvent exchange. During the processing steps, both the fabric support and the membrane shrink a preselected, controlled amount which prevents curling, wrinkling or cracking of the membrane in flat form or when spirally wound into a gas separation element.

  16. Biomimetic aquaporin membranes coming of age

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tang, Chuyang; Wang, Zhining; Petrinić, Irena

    2015-01-01

    Membrane processes have been widely used for water purification because of their high stability, efficiency, low energy requirement and ease of operation. Traditional desalting membranes are mostly dense polymeric films with a "trade off" effect between permeability and selectivity. Biological...

  17. Synthesis of Nanogels via Cell Membrane-Templated Polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jianhua; Gao, Weiwei; Fang, Ronnie H; Dong, Anjie; Zhang, Liangfang

    2015-09-09

    The synthesis of biomimetic hydrogel nanoparticles coated with a natural cell membrane is described. Compared to the existing strategy of wrapping cell membranes onto pre-formed nanoparticle substrates, this new approach forms the cell membrane-derived vesicles first, followed by growing nanoparticle cores in situ. It adds significant controllability over the nanoparticle properties and opens unique opportunities for a broad range of biomedical applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Manufacturing microporous membrane by polymerisation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanny, G.B.

    1984-01-01

    The starting materials for the practice of the present invention are (1) one or more organic monomers or oligomers which upon irradiation very rapidly undergo a polymerization reaction to form a solid polymer; and (2) a liquid vehicle in which the one or more organic monomers or oligomers are soluble but in which the polymer formed is insoluble. For the manufacture of microporous membrane in accordance with the invention the monomers or oligomers are dissolved in the liquid vehicle, the resulting solution is formed into a thin layer, and the thin layer of the solution is then irradiated as with ultraviolet or electron beam radiation whereupon the rapid polymerization reaction immediately ensues and the polymer formed immediately segregates from the vehicle thereby resulting in microporous membrane from which the vehicle can be removed as by evaporation or washing. Because the radiation-induced polymerization reaction and the segregation of the polymer formed are so rapid, the membrane formed has cells and communications therebetween of very small dimensions thereby providing the microporous structure. Where ultra-violet radiation is used the solution also includes a photo-initiator. (author)

  19. Potentiometric Titration Method for Quantitative Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bessette, Russell R

    2005-01-01

    An electrochemical potentiometric titration method that entails titration of a known volume of a catholyte containing an unknown amount of hydrogen peroxide in a titration cell having two electrodes...

  20. Progress of Nanocomposite Membranes for Water Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Ursino

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The use of membrane-based technologies has been applied for water treatment applications; however, the limitations of conventional polymeric membranes have led to the addition of inorganic fillers to enhance their performance. In recent years, nanocomposite membranes have greatly attracted the attention of scientists for water treatment applications such as wastewater treatment, water purification, removal of microorganisms, chemical compounds, heavy metals, etc. The incorporation of different nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes, zinc oxide, graphene oxide, silver and copper nanoparticles, titanium dioxide, 2D materials, and some other novel nano-scale materials into polymeric membranes have provided great advances, e.g., enhancing on hydrophilicity, suppressing the accumulation of pollutants and foulants, enhancing rejection efficiencies and improving mechanical properties and thermal stabilities. Thereby, the aim of this work is to provide up-to-date information related to those novel nanocomposite membranes and their contribution for water treatment applications.

  1. Progress of Nanocomposite Membranes for Water Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ursino, Claudia; Castro-Muñoz, Roberto; Drioli, Enrico; Gzara, Lassaad; Albeirutty, Mohammad H; Figoli, Alberto

    2018-04-03

    The use of membrane-based technologies has been applied for water treatment applications; however, the limitations of conventional polymeric membranes have led to the addition of inorganic fillers to enhance their performance. In recent years, nanocomposite membranes have greatly attracted the attention of scientists for water treatment applications such as wastewater treatment, water purification, removal of microorganisms, chemical compounds, heavy metals, etc. The incorporation of different nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes, zinc oxide, graphene oxide, silver and copper nanoparticles, titanium dioxide, 2D materials, and some other novel nano-scale materials into polymeric membranes have provided great advances, e.g., enhancing on hydrophilicity, suppressing the accumulation of pollutants and foulants, enhancing rejection efficiencies and improving mechanical properties and thermal stabilities. Thereby, the aim of this work is to provide up-to-date information related to those novel nanocomposite membranes and their contribution for water treatment applications.

  2. Determination of vanadium(V) by direct automatic potentiometric titration with EDTA using a chemically modified electrode as a potentiometric sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quintar, S E; Santagata, J P; Cortinez, V A

    2005-10-15

    A chemically modified electrode (CME) was prepared and studied as a potentiometric sensor for the end-point detection in the automatic titration of vanadium(V) with EDTA. The CME was constructed with a paste prepared by mixing spectral-grade graphite powder, Nujol oil and N-2-naphthoyl-N-p-tolylhydroxamic acid (NTHA). Buffer systems, pH effects and the concentration range were studied. Interference ions were separated by applying a liquid-liquid extraction procedure. The CME did not require any special conditioning before using. The electrode was constructed with very inexpensive materials and was easily made. It could be continuously used, at least two months without removing the paste. Automatic potentiometric titration curves were obtained for V(V) within 5 x 10(-5) to 2 x 10(-3)M with acceptable accuracy and precision. The developed method was applied to V(V) determination in alloys for hip prosthesis.

  3. Potentiometric studies on quaternary complexes of dioxouranium(VI)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumari, Vinod; Chaturvedi, G K [Agra Coll., (India). Chemical Laboratories

    1979-10-01

    The formation of quaternary complexes of dioxouranium(VI) with three different organic acids (OX, MALN and SA, SSA, TAR or TMA) has been inferred from the potentiometric studies. The formation constants for the resulting triligand complexes have been evaluated.

  4. Potentiometric Sensor for Gadolinium(III Ion Based on Zirconium(IV Tungstophosphate as an Electroactive Material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harish K. Sharma

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available A new inorganic ion exchanger has been synthesized namely Zirconium(IV tungstophosphate [ZrWP]. The synthesized exchanger was characterized using ion exchange capacity and distribution coefficient (Kd. For further studies, exchanger with 0.35 meq/g ion-exchange capacity was selected. Electrochemical studies were carried out on the ion exchange membranes using epoxy resin as a binder. In case of ZrWP, the membrane having the composition; Zirconium(IV tugstophosphate (40% and epoxy resin (60% exhibits best performance. The membrane works well over a wide range of concentration from 1×10-5 to 1×10-1 M of Gd(III ion with an over- Nernstian slope of 30 mv/ decade. The response time of the sensor is 15 seconds. For this membrane, effect of internal solution has been studied and the electrode was successfully used in partially non-aqueous media too. Fixed interference method and matched potential method has been used for determining selectivity coefficient with respect to alkali, alkaline earth, some transition and rare earth metal ions that are normally present along with Gd(III in its ores. The electrode can be used in the pH range 4.0-10.0 for 10-1 M and 3.0-7.0 for 10-2 M concentration of target ion. These sensors have been used as indicator electrodes in the potentiometric titration of Gd(III ion against EDTA and oxalic acid.

  5. Potentiometric titration of zinc and cadmium in electrolytes of in galvanic baths

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kosyuga, E.A.; Kalugin, A.A.; Gur'ev, I.A.

    1979-01-01

    The method of potentiometric titration of zinc and cadmium by complexone 3 in electrolytes of galvanic baths using sulphide - silver electrode for determining the finite point of titration is suggested. Copper (2) ions are proposed as indicator ions. The potentiometric determination should be performed at pH=10. The method is verified on model electrolyte solutions and on the electrolyte solutions of operating baths.The technique can be used for automatic control. The time for analysis is 10 minutes

  6. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, May 2008

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2008-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2008. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 567 wells during the period May 6-May 27, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours. Measured values of the potentiometric surface ranged from 7 feet below NGVD29 near Fernandina Beach, Florida, to 124 feet above NGVD29 in Polk County, Florida. The average water level of the network in May 2008 was about 1 foot lower than the average in September 2007 following below-average rainfall during the dry season of 2007-08. Seasonal differences in network average water levels generally range from 4 to 6 feet. For 457 wells with previous measurements, May 2008 levels ranged from about 19 feet below to about 11 feet above September 2007 water levels. The average water level of the network in May 2008 was about 1 foot higher than the average in May 2007. For 544 wells with previous measurements, May 2008 levels ranged from about 8 feet below to about 13 feet above May 2007 water levels. Long-term hydrographs of ground-water levels for continuous and periodic wells are available

  7. Post-Synthetic Polymerization of UiO-66-NH2 Nanoparticles and Polyurethane Oligomer toward Stand-Alone Membranes for Dye Removal and Separation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Bing-Jian; Jiang, Wei-Ling; Dong, Ying; Liu, Zhi-Xian; Dong, Yu-Bin

    2016-07-18

    Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are widely used as porous materials in the fields of adsorption and separation. However, their practical application is largely hindered by limitations to their processability. Herein, new UiO-66-Urea-based flexible membranes with MOF loadings of 50 (1), 60 (2), and 70 wt % (3) were designed and prepared by post-synthetic polymerization of UiO-66-NH2 nanoparticles and a polyurethane oligomer under mild conditions. The adsorption behavior of membrane 3 towards four hydrophilic dyes, namely, eosin Y (EY), rhodamine B (RB), malachite green (MG), and methylene blue (MB), in aqueous solution was studied in detail. It exhibits strong adsorption of EY and RB but weak adsorption of MG and MB in aqueous solution. Owing to the selective adsorption of these hydrophilic dyes, membrane 3 can remove EY and RB from aqueous solution and completely separate EY/MB, RB/MG, and RB/MB mixtures in aqueous solution. In addition, the membrane is uniformly textured, easily handled, and can be reused for dye adsorption and separation. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Potentiometric determination of ibuprofen, indomethacin and naproxen using an artificial neural network calibration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. HAKAN AKTAŞ

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study, three anti-inflammatory agents, namely ibuprofen, indomethacin and naproxen, were titrated potentiometrically using tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in acetonitrile solvent under a nitrogen atmosphere at 25 °C. MATLAB 7.0 software was applied for data treatment as a multivariate calibration tool in the potentiometric titration procedure. An artificial neural network (ANN was used as a multivariate calibration tool in the potentiometric titration to model the complex non-linear relationship between ibuprofen, indomethacin and naproxen concentrations and the millivolt (mV of the solutions measured after the addition of different volumes of the titrant. The optimized network predicted the concentrations of agents in synthetic mixtures. The results showed that the employed ANN can precede the titration data with an average relative error of prediction of less than 2.30 %.

  9. Ceramic membrane in production of recycled water; Keraamikalvo uusioveden valmistuksessa - EKT 05

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laitinen, N.; Luonsi, A.; Levaenen, E.; Maentylae, T.; Vilen, J. [Haemeen ympaeristoekeskus, Tampere (Finland)

    1998-12-31

    Applicability of ceramic ultrafiltration membrane modifications were studied with laboratory units to purify clear filtrate and biologically treated combined wastewater from high quality board manufacturing process for reuse. Also performance of polymeric membrane and ceramic membrane was compared. The performance of the membrane filtration cell, developed according to requirements of the fixed dimensions of ceramic membrane was compared with the performance of the cross-rotational commercial test unit (CR-filter) of polymeric membranes. The quality of ultrafiltration permeate, namely suspended solids, turbidity and colour, was better than the quality of lake water used in the mill. The permeate fluxes were in the range of 60-75 l/m{sup 2}h. The fouling layer primarily controlled the flux and the retention, leaving the effects of surface modifications as the secondary function. The flux was slightly higher with the biologically treated wastewater. Differences in membrane material and pore size had an effect on the cleaning ability of the membranes. The polymeric membrane and the membrane with smaller pore size were easier to clean. Tests with the CR-filter showed that the rotor increases shear forces, reduces the filtration resistance and thus increases the flux compared to the cell for ceramic membranes where the increase of shear forces can be done by increasing the flow velocities. (orig.)

  10. Ceramic membrane in production of recycled water; Keraamikalvo uusioveden valmistuksessa - EKT 05

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laitinen, N; Luonsi, A; Levaenen, E; Maentylae, T; Vilen, J [Haemeen ympaeristoekeskus, Tampere (Finland)

    1999-12-31

    Applicability of ceramic ultrafiltration membrane modifications were studied with laboratory units to purify clear filtrate and biologically treated combined wastewater from high quality board manufacturing process for reuse. Also performance of polymeric membrane and ceramic membrane was compared. The performance of the membrane filtration cell, developed according to requirements of the fixed dimensions of ceramic membrane was compared with the performance of the cross-rotational commercial test unit (CR-filter) of polymeric membranes. The quality of ultrafiltration permeate, namely suspended solids, turbidity and colour, was better than the quality of lake water used in the mill. The permeate fluxes were in the range of 60-75 l/m{sup 2}h. The fouling layer primarily controlled the flux and the retention, leaving the effects of surface modifications as the secondary function. The flux was slightly higher with the biologically treated wastewater. Differences in membrane material and pore size had an effect on the cleaning ability of the membranes. The polymeric membrane and the membrane with smaller pore size were easier to clean. Tests with the CR-filter showed that the rotor increases shear forces, reduces the filtration resistance and thus increases the flux compared to the cell for ceramic membranes where the increase of shear forces can be done by increasing the flow velocities. (orig.)

  11. Ion-conducting membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masel, Richard I.; Sajjad, Syed Dawar; Gao, Yan; Liu, Zengcai; Chen, Qingmei

    2017-12-26

    An anion-conducting polymeric membrane comprises a terpolymer of styrene, vinylbenzyl-R.sub.s and vinylbenzyl-R.sub.x. R.sub.s is a positively charged cyclic amine group. R.sub.x is at least one constituent selected from the group consisting Cl, OH and a reaction product between an OH or Cl and a species other than a simple amine or a cyclic amine. The total weight of the vinylbenzyl-R.sub.x groups is greater than 0.3% of the total weight of the membrane. In a preferred embodiment, the membrane is a Helper Membrane that increases the faradaic efficiency of an electrochemical cell into which the membrane is incorporated, and also allows product formation at lower voltages than in cells without the Helper Membrane.

  12. Controlled change of transport properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track membranes by plasma method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kravets, L I; Dmitriev, S N; Drachev, A I; Gilman, A B; Lazea, A; Dinescu, G

    2007-01-01

    A process of plasma polymerization of dimethylaniline and acrylic acid vapours on the surface of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track membranes has been investigated. The surface and hydrodynamic properties of the composite membranes produced in this case have been studied. It is shown that the water permeability of the obtained polymeric membranes can be controlled by changing the filtrate pH. Membranes with such properties can be used for controllable drug delivery and in sensor control

  13. Polymeric membranes obtained from S-PEEK for application in PEM fuel cells; Caracterizacao de membranas polimericas obtidas a partir dos S-PEEK para aplicacao em celulas combustiveis do tipo PEM

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barreto, Ednardo G.; Fiuza, Raildo A.; Catao, Ronei S.; Jose, Nadia M.; Boaventura, Jaime S. [Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica], e-mail: ednardobarreto@yahoo.com.br, e-mail: raildofiuza@gmail.com, e-mail: roneicatao@ig.com.br, e-mail: nadia@ufba.br, e-mail: bventura@ufba.br; Pepe, Yuri [Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

    2007-07-01

    This work had the objective to develop and to characterize S-PEEK membranes (sulfonated poly ether ether ketone) through chemical and electrochemical analyses. Conductivity test in function of the frequency and tension had been carried through; as well as, the open circuit tension of a fuel cell using the S-PEEK as electrolyte. Additional tests included TGA (Thermogravimetric Analysis), water absorption test, DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry), as tools to characterize conducting, thermal and mechanical proprieties of polymeric membrane. (author)

  14. Forward osmosis biomimetic membranes in industrial and environmental applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Henrik Tækker; Søgaard, Erik Gydesen; Bajraktari, Niada

    Membrane processes have in recent years found increasing uses in several sectors where separation of one or more components from a solvent, typically water, is required. The most widespread types of membranes are polymeric and pressure driven, but the high pressures that are required results...... consumption and lead to much more stable operations, but is currently limited by the availability of suitable membranes. However, by introducing aquaporin protein channels into a polymeric membrane to make a biomimetic membrane, the vision of both high flux and separation efficiency may be achieved......) a single use filtration module containing a sample reservoir and a biomimetic aquaporin based forward osmosis membrane. 2) a multi-use desktop forward osmosis system containing draw solution mixing, and monitoring devices. The sample is placed in the single use module and the module is then mounted...

  15. Urea potentiometric enzymatic biosensor based on charged biopolymers and electrodeposited polyaniline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakard, Boris; Magnin, Delphine; Deschaume, Olivier; Vanlancker, Guilhem; Glinel, Karine; Demoustier-Champagne, Sophie; Nysten, Bernard; Jonas, Alain M; Bertrand, Patrick; Yunus, Sami

    2011-06-15

    A potentiometric biosensor based on urease was developed for the quantitative determination of urea concentration in aqueous solutions for biomedical applications. The urease was either physisorbed onto an electrodeposited polyaniline film (PANI), or immobilized on a layer-by-layer film (LbL) assembled over the PANI film, that was obtained by the alternate deposition of charged polysaccharides (carboxymethylpullulan (CMP) and chitosan (CHI)). In the latter case, the urease (Urs) enzyme was either physically adsorbed or covalently grafted to the LbL film using carbodiimide coupling reaction. Potentiometric responses of the enzymatic biosensors were measured as a function of the urea concentration in aqueous solutions (from 10(-6) to 10(-1) mol L(-1) urea). Very high sensitivity and short response time were observed for the present biosensor. Moreover, a stability study showed a higher stability over time for the potentiometric response of the sensor with the enzyme-grafted LbL film, testifying for the protective nature of the polysaccharide coating and the interest of covalent grafting. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Manganese(III Porphyrin-based Potentiometric Sensors for Diclofenac Assay in Pharmaceutical Preparations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eugenia Fagadar-Cosma

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Two manganese(III porphyrins: manganese(III tetraphenylporphyrin chloride and manganese(III-tetrakis(3-hydroxyphenylporphyrin chloride were tested as ionophores for the construction of new diclofenac−selective electrodes. The electroactive material was incorporated either in PVC or a sol−gel matrix. The effect of different plasticizers and additives (anionic and cationic on the potentiometric response was studied. The best results were obtained for the PVC membrane plasticized with dioctylphtalate and having sodium tetraphenylborate as a lipophilic anionic additive incorporated. The sensor response was linear in the concentration range 3 × 10−6 – 1 × 10−2 M with a slope of −59.7 mV/dec diclofenac, a detection limit of 1.5 × 10−6 M and very good selectivity coefficients. It was used for the determination of diclofenac in pharmaceutical preparations, by direct potentiometry. The results were compared with those obtained by the HPLC reference method and a good agreement was found between the two methods.

  17. Improving the limits of detection in potentiometric sensors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bent, Van Der J.F.; Puik, E.C.N.; Tong, H.D.; Rijn, Van C.J.M.

    2015-01-01

    Potentiometric sensors will generally suffer from unwanted responses as a result to changing temperatures by generating an electromotive force. Typically, this voltage drift has a non-linear character and therefore it is difficult to compensate using linear algorithms implemented in the analogue

  18. Tunable Nanocomposite Membranes for Water Remediation and Separations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sierra, Sebastian Hernandez

    Nano-structured material fabrication using functionalized membranes with polyelectrolytes is a promising research field for water pollution, catalytic and mining applications. These responsive polymers react to external stimuli like temperature, pH, radiation, ionic strength or chemical composition. Such nanomaterials provide novel hybrid properties and can also be self-supported in addition to the membranes. Polyelectrolytes (as hydrogels) have pH responsiveness. The hydrogel moieties gain or lose protons based on the pH, displaying swelling properties. These responsive materials can be exploited to synthesize metal nanoparticles in situ using their functional groups, or to immobilize other polyelectrolytes and biomolecules. Due to their properties, these responsive materials prevent the loss of nanomaterials to the environment and improve reactivity due to their larger surface areas, expanding their range of applications. The present work describes different techniques used to create nanocomposites based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) hollow fiber and flat sheet membranes, both thick sponge-like and thin. Due to their hydrophobicity, hollow fiber membranes were hydrophilized by a water-based green process of cross-linking polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) onto their surface. Commercial hydrophilic and hydrophilized lab-prepared membranes were subsequently functionalized with a poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogel through free radical polymerizations. This work advanced membrane functionalization, specifically flat sheet membranes, from lab-scale to full-scale by modifications of the polymerization procedures. The hydrogel functionalized membranes by redox polymerization showed an expected responsive behavior, represented by permeability variation at various pH values (4.0 ≤ pH ≤ 9.0), from 53.9 to 3.4 L/(m2EhEbar) and a change in effective pore size from 222 to 111 nm, being 3800 L/(m 2EhEbar) and 650 nm the former permeability and pore size values of the

  19. Characterization of the proton binding sites of extracellular polymeric substances in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Chang, Sheng; Defersha, Fantahun M

    2015-07-01

    This paper focuses on the characterization of the chemical compositions and acidic constants of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor treating synthetic brewery wastewater by using chemical analysis, linear programming analysis (LPA) of titration data, and FT-IR analysis. The linear programming analysis of titration data revealed that the EPSs have proton binding sites with pKa values from pKa ≤ 6, between 6 and 7, and approximately 9.8. The strong acidic sites (pKa ≤ 6) and some weak acidic sites (7.5 membrane filtration. In addition, the FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and lipids in the EPS samples. Based on the FT-IR analysis and the main chemical functional groups at the bacterial cell surfaces, the identified proton binding sites were related to carboxyl, phosphate, and hydroxyl/amine groups with pKa values of 4.6 ± 0.7, 6.6 ± 0.01, and 9.7 ± 0.1, respectively, with the corresponding respective intensities of 0.31 ± 0.05, 0.96 ± 0.3, and 1.53 ± 0.3 mmole/g-EPS. The pKa values and intensities of the proton binding sites are the fundamental molecular properties of EPSs that affect the EPS charge, molecular interactions, and metal complexation characteristics. Determination of such properties can advance Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO)-based concentration polarization modeling, facilitate the estimation of the osmotic pressure of the EPS concentration polarization layers, and lead to a deeper understanding of the role of metal complexation in membrane fouling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Crystal structure of an orthomyxovirus matrix protein reveals mechanisms for self-polymerization and membrane association.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wenting; Zheng, Wenjie; Toh, Yukimatsu; Betancourt-Solis, Miguel A; Tu, Jiagang; Fan, Yanlin; Vakharia, Vikram N; Liu, Jun; McNew, James A; Jin, Meilin; Tao, Yizhi J

    2017-08-08

    Many enveloped viruses encode a matrix protein. In the influenza A virus, the matrix protein M1 polymerizes into a rigid protein layer underneath the viral envelope to help enforce the shape and structural integrity of intact viruses. The influenza virus M1 is also known to mediate virus budding as well as the nuclear export of the viral nucleocapsids and their subsequent packaging into nascent viral particles. Despite extensive studies on the influenza A virus M1 (FLUA-M1), only crystal structures of its N-terminal domain are available. Here we report the crystal structure of the full-length M1 from another orthomyxovirus that infects fish, the infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV). The structure of ISAV-M1 assumes the shape of an elbow, with its N domain closely resembling that of the FLUA-M1. The C domain, which is connected to the N domain through a flexible linker, is made of four α-helices packed as a tight bundle. In the crystal, ISAV-M1 monomers form infinite 2D arrays with a network of interactions involving both the N and C domains. Results from liposome flotation assays indicated that ISAV-M1 binds membrane via electrostatic interactions that are primarily mediated by a positively charged surface loop from the N domain. Cryoelectron tomography reconstruction of intact ISA virions identified a matrix protein layer adjacent to the inner leaflet of the viral membrane. The physical dimensions of the virion-associated matrix layer are consistent with the 2D ISAV-M1 crystal lattice, suggesting that the crystal lattice is a valid model for studying M1-M1, M1-membrane, and M1-RNP interactions in the virion.

  1. Manual and Flow-Injection Detection/Quantification of Polyquaterniums via Fully Reversible Polyion-Sensitive Polymeric Membrane-Based Ion-Selective Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson, Stephen A; Meyerhoff, Mark E

    2017-10-27

    The detection of four different polyquaterniums (PQs) using a fully reversible potentiometric polyion sensor in three different detection modes is described. The polyion sensing "pulstrodes" serve as the detector for direct dose-response experiments, beaker titrations, and in a flow-injection analysis (FIA) system. Direct polycation response toward PQ-2, PQ-6, PQ-10, and poly(2-methacryloxyethyltrimethylammonium) chloride (PMETAC) yields characteristic information about each PQ species (e.g., relative charge densities, etc.) via syringe pump addition of each PQ species to a background electrolyte solution. Quantitative titrations are performed using a syringe pump to deliver heparin as the polyanion titrant to quantify all four PQs at μg/mL levels. Both the direct and indirect methods incorporate the use of a three-electrode system including counter, double junction reference, and working electrodes. The working electrode possesses a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane containing the neutral lipophilic salt of dinonylnaphthalenesulfonate (DNNS - ) tridodecylmethylammonium (TDMA + ). Further, the titration method is shown to be useful to quantify PQ-6 levels in recreational swimming pool water collected in Ann Arbor, MI. Finally, a FIA system equipped with a pulstrode detector is used to demonstrate the ability to potentially quantify PQ levels via a more streamlined and semiautomated testing platform.

  2. Composite materials with ionic conductivity: from inorganic composites to hybrid membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yaroslavtsev, Andrei B [N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2009-11-30

    Information on composite materials with ionic conductivity including inorganic composites and hybrid polymeric ion exchange membranes containing inorganic or polymeric nanoparticles is generalized. The nature of the effect of increase in the ionic conductivity in this type of materials and the key approaches used for theoretical estimation of the conductivity are considered. Data on the ionic conductivity and some other important properties of composites and membrane materials are presented. Prospects for utilization of composite materials and hybrid membranes in hydrogen power engineering are briefly outlined.

  3. Salt Rejection of Non-Ionic Polymeric Membranes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bo, P.; Stannett, V.

    1976-01-01

    A modified solution-diffusion model for the description of salt and water transport through homogeneous membranes is introduced. It is compared with the current solution-diffusion model and the combined flow-diffusion model for the description of transport under reverse osmosis conditions....... The advantage of the modified description over the current solution-diffusion model is the inclusion of a salt-water coupling transport coefficient which allows the description to be extended to membranes of high water permeability (high water content). The advantage of the modified solution-diffusion model...

  4. Utilização de um eletrodo de grafite-epóxi recoberto com [Zn(FEN3][tetratris(4-clorofenil borato]2 sensível a zinco(II em meio 1,10-fenantrolina como eletrodo indicador em titulações potenciométricas de precipitação

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teixeira Marcos F. S.

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The construction and analytical evaluation of a coated graphite-epoxy electrode sensitive to the zinc-1,10-phenantroline complex based on the [Zn(fen3][tetrakis(4-chlorophenylborate]2 incorporated into a poly(vinylchloride (PVC matrix are described. A thin membrane film of this ion-pair, dibutylphthalate (DBPh and PVC were deposited directly onto an electrically conductive graphite-epoxy support located inside a Perspex® tube. The best PVC polymeric membrane contains 65% (m/m DBPh, 30% (m/m PVC and 5% (m/m of the ion-pair. This electrode shows a response of 19.5 mV dec-1 over the zinc(II concentration range of 1.0 x 10-5 to 1.0 x 10-3 mol L-1 in 1,10-phenantroline medium, at pH 6.0. The response time was less than 20 seconds and the lifetime of this electrode was more than four months (over 1200 determinations by each polymeric membrane. It was successfully used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric precipitation titration of zinc(II ions.

  5. Surface modification of polysulfone membranes applied for a membrane reactor with immobilized alcohol dehydrogenase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hoffmann, Christian; Silau, Harald; Pinelo, Manuel

    2018-01-01

    activated by lithiation followed by functionalization with acid chlorides at 0 °C, permitting modification of commercial PSf membranes without compromising the mechanical integrity of the membrane. Post-functionalization polymer grafting was illustrated through both, a “grafting from” approach by surface...... initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) and by a “grafting to” approach exploiting Cu(I) catalyzed 1,3-cycloadditions of alkynes with azides (CuAAC) introducing hydrophilic polymers onto the membrane surface. Poly(1-vinyl imidazole) (pVim) grafted membranes were exploited as support...

  6. Structural Study and Modification of Support Layer for Forward Osmosis Membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Shi, Meixia

    2016-01-01

    polymerization. Among the different substrates we include standard asymmetric porous membranes prepared from homopolymers, such as polysulfone. Additionally block copolymer membrane and Anodisc alumina membrane are chosen based on their exceptional structures

  7. Polymeric composite membranes for temperature and pH-responsive delivery of doxorubicin hydrochloride

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahar Mohamaddoust Aliabadi

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: Nowadays hydrogels are one of the upcoming classes of polymer-based controlled-release drug delivery systems. Temperature and pH-responsive delivery systems have drawn much attention because some diseases reveal themselves by a change in temperature and/or pH. The objective of this work is to prepare and characterize composite membrane using responsive nanoparticles into a polymer matrix. Materials and Methods: These nanoparticles were made of the copolymer poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methaçrylic acid by an aqueous dispersion polymerization process and are responsible for dual sensitivity to temperature and pH. Morphology study with SEM, swelling behavior with Dynamic Light Scattering Technique, in vitro drug release behavior with side-by-side Diffusion Cells were also investigated in this paper. Doxorubicin hydrochloride was used as a model solute. Results:The study on the release of doxorubicin hydrochloride showed that the release rate was higher at pH 5 than pH 7.4, increased with the increase of temperature. Nevertheless, ionic strength only poses a minor direct effect at higher pH. Conclusion:Such system may be potentially used as a tumor-targeting doxorubicin hydrochloride delivery in the body.

  8. Potentiometric-level monitoring program, Mississippi and Louisiana: Annual status report for fiscal year 1985

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-10-01

    Potentiometric-level data presented in this report were collected at 82 wells in Mississippi and Louisiana from October 1984 through September 1985. These wells are located near Richton and Cypress Creek Domes in Mississippi and Vacherie dome in Louisiana. Three wells were reinstated to the program during this period. Two previously destroyed wells were deleted from the program. Protective barriers were installed around 26 shallow borings in Mississippi. Cursory analysis of the data in Mississippi indicated minimal, if any, change in potentiometric level during the past year in the Citronelle, Hattiesburg, Cockfield, Sparta, and Wilcox Formations. A slight decline, on the order of 0.3 meter (1 foot), occurred during the past year in well MCCG-1, which is screened in the caprock of Cypress Creek Dome. The potentiometric level in well MRIG-9, in the caprock of Richton Dome, stabilized during fiscal year 1985 following 5 years of increase. The Catahoula Formation experienced a continuing decline of about 0.3 meter/year (1 foot/year). Well MH-5C, screened in the Cook Mountain Formation, showed a continuing, long-term, upward trend on the order of 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) during the past year. The potentiometric level of well MH-8C, screened in the Cook Mountain Formation, stabilized during fiscal year 1985, following 5 years of large annual increases. Wells screened in the Austin Formation in Louisiana showed a downward trend of 0.3 to 1 meter (1 to 3.3 feet) during fiscal year 1985. Other formations in Louisiana generally showed no change in potentiometric level

  9. Potentiometric and Conductometric Study of Aqueous Solutions of Lithium and Sodium Salts of Poly(thiophen-3-ylacetic acid).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hostnik, Gregor; Vlachy, Vojko; Bondarev, Dmitrij; Jiří, Vohlídal; Cerar, Janez

    2012-09-01

    The title polymer, PTAA, practically free of ester groups was obtained by oxidative polymerization of methyl thiophen-3-ylacetate and subsequent basic hydrolysis of primary polymer. Poly(thiophen-3-ylacetic acid) has been thoroughly characterized by NMR, IR, Raman, and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The polyacid behavior during neutralization titrations with lithium and sodium hydroxides, carried out under nitrogen atmosphere, has been studied by conductometry and potentiometry. Henderson-Hasselbach plots of potentiometric titration curves show a break point at pH around 6, where the curve slope drops from 1.8 (at lower pH) to a value from 1.05 to 1.3 (at higher pH values). The UV/Vis spectra monitored during back titration show: (i) monotonous decrease of both λmax and εmax as pH decreases, (ii) the presence of the isosbestic point at 401 nm that can be ascribed to conformational transition of PTAA chains, and (iii) absence of the isosbestic point at 392 nm reported previously by other authors.

  10. Separation performance and interfacial properties of nanocomposite reverse osmosis membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Pendergast, MaryTheresa M.; Ghosh, Asim K.; Hoek, E.M.V.

    2013-01-01

    Four different types of nanocomposite reverse osmosis (RO) membranes were formed by interfacial polymerization of either polyamide (PA) or zeolite A-polyamide nanocomposite (ZA-PA) thin films over either pure polysulfone (PSf) or zeolite A-polysulfone nanocomposite (ZA-PSf) support membranes cast by wet phase inversion. All three nanocomposite membranes exhibited superior separation performance and interfacial properties relative to hand-cast TFC analogs including: (1) smoother, more hydrophilic surfaces (2) higher water permeability and salt rejection, and (3) improved resistance to physical compaction. Less compaction occurred for membranes with nanoparticles embedded in interfacially polymerized coating films, which adds further proof that flux decline associated with physical compaction is influenced by coating film properties in addition to support membrane properties. The new classes of nanocomposite membrane materials continue to offer promise of further improved RO membranes for use in desalination and advanced water purification. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  11. Potentiometric titration and equivalent weight of humic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pommer, A.M.; Breger, I.A.

    1960-01-01

    The "acid nature" of humic acid has been controversial for many years. Some investigators claim that humic acid is a true weak acid, while others feel that its behaviour during potentiometric titration can be accounted for by colloidal adsorption of hydrogen ions. The acid character of humic acid has been reinvestigated using newly-derived relationships for the titration of weak acids with strong base. Re-interpreting the potentiometric titration data published by Thiele and Kettner in 1953, it was found that Merck humic acid behaves as a weak polyelectrolytic acid having an equivalent weight of 150, a pKa of 6.8 to 7.0, and a titration exponent of about 4.8. Interdretation of similar data pertaining to the titration of phenol-formaldehyde and pyrogallol-formaldehyde resins, considered to be analogs for humic acid by Thiele and Kettner, leads to the conclusion that it is not possible to differentiate between adsorption and acid-base reaction for these substances. ?? 1960.

  12. Colloidal titration of aqueous zirconium solutions with poly(vinyl sulfate) by potentiometric endpoint detection using a toluidine blue selective electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakurada, Osamu; Kato, Yasutake; Kito, Noriyoshi; Kameyama, Keiichi; Hattori, Toshiaki; Hashiba, Minoru

    2004-02-01

    Zirconium oxy-salts were hydrolyzed to form positively charged polymer or cluster species in acidic solutions. The zirconium hydrolyzed polymer was found to react with a negatively charged polyelectrolyte, such as poly(vinyl sulfate), and to form a stoichiometric polyion complex. Thus, colloidal titration with poly(vinyl sulfate) was applied to measure the zirconium concentration in an acidic solution by using a Toluidine Blue selective plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membrane electrode as a potentiometric end-point detecting device. The determination could be performed with 1% of the relative standard deviation. The colloidal titration stoichiometry at pH < or = 2 was one mol of zirconium per equivalent mol of poly(vinyl sulfate).

  13. Potentiometric titration curves of aluminium salt solutions and its ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Potentiometric titration curves of aluminium salt solutions and its species conversion ... of aluminium salt solutions under the moderate slow rate of base injection. ... silicate radical, and organic acid radical on the titration curves and its critical ...

  14. High-definition polymeric membranes: construction of 3D lithographed channel arrays through control of natural building blocks dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Speranza, Valentina; Trotta, Francesco; Drioli, Enrico; Gugliuzza, Annarosa

    2010-02-01

    The fabrication of well-defined interfaces is in high demand in many fields of biotechnologies. Here, high-definition membrane-like arrays are developed through the self-assembly of water droplets, which work as natural building blocks for the construction of ordered channels. Solution viscosity together with the dynamics of the water droplets can decide the final formation of three-dimensional well-ordered patterns resembling anodic structures, especially because solvents denser than water are used. Particularly, the polymer solution viscosity is demonstrated to be a powerful tool for control of the mobility of submerged droplets during the microfabrication process. The polymeric patterns are structured at very high levels of organization and exhibit well-established transport-surface property relationships, considered basics for any types of advanced biotechnologies.

  15. Flow Injection Potentiometric Determination of Cd2+ Ions Using a Coated Graphite Plasticized PVC-Membrane Electrode Based on 1, 3-Bis(2-cyanobenzene)triazene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamsipur, Mojtaba; Sahari, Shokat; Payehghadr, Mahmood; Alizadeh, Kamal

    2011-09-01

    1, 3-Bis(2-cyanobenzene)triazene, L, was used as a suitable ionophore for the fabrication of a new PVC-based polymeric membrane coated graphite electrode for selective sensing of Cd2+ ion. The electrode exhibited a selective linear Nernstian response to Cd2+ ion at an optimal pH range of 6-9 with a limit of detection of 8.0 × 10-6 M and a fast response time of about 2 s. The electrode was used as a proper detection system in flow-injection potentiometry of cadmium ion and resulted in well defined peaks for cadmium ions with stable baseline, excellent reproducibility and high sampling rates of over 100 injections per hour. It showed good stability, reproducibility and fast response time. The practical utility of the proposed system has also been reported.

  16. Review of Membranes for Helium Separation and Purification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colin A. Scholes

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Membrane gas separation has potential for the recovery and purification of helium, because the majority of membranes have selectivity for helium. This review reports on the current state of the research and patent literature for membranes undertaking helium separation. This includes direct recovery from natural gas, as an ancillary stage in natural gas processing, as well as niche applications where helium recycling has potential. A review of the available polymeric and inorganic membranes for helium separation is provided. Commercial gas separation membranes in comparable gas industries are discussed in terms of their potential in helium separation. Also presented are the various membrane process designs patented for the recovery and purification of helium from various sources, as these demonstrate that it is viable to separate helium through currently available polymeric membranes. This review places a particular focus on those processes where membranes are combined in series with another separation technology, commonly pressure swing adsorption. These combined processes have the most potential for membranes to produce a high purity helium product. The review demonstrates that membrane gas separation is technically feasible for helium recovery and purification, though membranes are currently only applied in niche applications focused on reusing helium rather than separation from natural sources.

  17. Reverse osmosis membrane of high urea rejection properties. [water purification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, C. C.; Wydeven, T. J. (Inventor)

    1980-01-01

    Polymeric membranes suitable for use in reverse osmosis water purification because of their high urea and salt rejection properties are prepared by generating a plasma of an unsaturated hydrocarbon monomer and nitrogen gas from an electrical source. A polymeric membrane is formed by depositing a polymer of the unsaturated monomer from the plasma onto a substrate, so that nitrogen from the nitrogen gas is incorporated within the polymer in a chemically combined form.

  18. Membrane and Nuclear Permeabilization by Polymeric pDNA Vehicles: Efficient Method for Gene Delivery or Mechanism of Cytotoxicity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grandinetti, Giovanna; Smith, Adam E.; Reineke, Theresa M.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study is to compare the cytotoxicity mechanisms of linear PEI to two analogous polymers synthesized by our group: a hydroxyl-containing poly(L-tartaramidoamine) (T4) and a version containing an alkyl chain spacer poly(adipamidopentaethylenetetramine) (A4) by studying the cellular responses to polymer transfection. We have also synthesized analogues of T4 with different molecular weights (degrees of polymerization of 6, 12, and 43) to examine the role of molecular weight on the cytotoxicity mechanisms. Several mechanisms of polymer-induced cytotoxicity are investigated, including plasma membrane permeabilization, the formation of potentially harmful polymer degradation products during transfection including reactive oxygen species, and nuclear membrane permeabilization. We hypothesized that since cationic polymers are capable of disrupting the plasma membrane, they may also be capable of disrupting the nuclear envelope, which could be a potential mechanism of how the pDNA is delivered into the nucleus (other than nuclear envelope breakdown during mitosis). Using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, we show that the polycations with the highest amount of protein expression and toxicity, PEI and T443, are capable of inducing nuclear membrane permeability. This finding is important for the field of nucleic acid delivery in that not only could direct nucleus permeabilization be a mechanism for pDNA nuclear import but also a potential mechanism of cytotoxicity and cell death. We also show that the production of reactive oxygen species is not a main mechanism of cytotoxicity, and that the presence or absence of hydroxyl groups as well as polymer length plays a role in polyplex size and charge in addition to protein expression efficiency and toxicity. PMID:22175236

  19. Potentiometric determination of the 'formal' hydrolysis ratio of aluminium species in aqueous solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fournier, Agathe C.; Shafran, Kirill L.; Perry, Carole C.

    2008-01-01

    The 'formal' hydrolysis ratio (h = C(OH - ) added /C(Al) total ) of hydrolysed aluminium-ions is an important parameter required for the exhaustive and quantitative speciation-fractionation of aluminium in aqueous solutions. This paper describes a potentiometric method for determination of the formal hydrolysis ratio based on an automated alkaline titration procedure. The method uses the point of precipitation of aluminium hydroxide as a reference (h = 3.0) in order to calculate the initial formal hydrolysis ratio of hydrolysed aluminium-ion solutions. Several solutions of pure hydrolytic species including aluminium monomers (AlCl 3 ), Al 13 polynuclear cluster ([Al 13 O 4 (OH) 24 (H 2 O) 12 ] 7+ ), Al 30 polynuclear cluster ([Al 30 O 8 (OH) 56 (H 2 O) 26 ] 18+ ) and a suspension of nanoparticulate aluminium hydroxide have been used as 'reference standards' to validate the proposed potentiometric method. Other important variables in the potentiometric determination of the hydrolysis ratio have also been optimised including the concentration of aluminium and the type and strength of alkali (Trizma-base, NH 3 , NaHCO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 and KOH). The results of the potentiometric analysis have been cross-verified by quantitative 27 Al solution nuclear magnetic resonance ( 27 Al NMR) measurements. The 'formal' hydrolysis ratio of a commercial basic aluminium chloride has been measured as an example of a practical application of the developed technique

  20. Lanthanide metal complex-based membrane electrodes for sensing of biological amino alcohols

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahajan, Rakesh Kumar; Kaur, Ravneet; Shinoda, Satoshi; Tsukube, Hiroshi

    2008-01-01

    Electrodes selective for amino alcohols were prepared by incorporating lanthanide tris(β-diketonates) in PVC membranes, which formed 1:1 highly coordinated complexes with amino alcohols. Several electrodes gave near-Nernstian slopes for 2-amino-3-methyl-1-butanol in the linear concentration range of 1.0 x 10 -1 to 1.0 x 10 -3 M, while the low detection limits of these electrodes were order of ∼10 -4 M. Although the observed response profiles were significantly dependent on the natures of the targeted amino alcohols, the electrodes exhibited stable potentiometric signals in the pH range of 6-12 in short time period of 20 s. The related monoalcohol, diol, and zwitterionic amino acid substrates gave no response, indicating that the present type of lanthanide tris(β-diketonates) were applicable in potentiometric sensing of amino alcohols

  1. Dual functional extracellular recording using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor for bitter signal transduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Liping; Wang, Jian; Chen, Wei; Zhao, Luhang; Wu, Chunsheng; Wang, Ping

    2018-08-31

    This paper presents a dual functional extracellular recording biosensor based on a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). The design and fabrication of this biosensor make it possible to record both extracellular membrane potential changes and ATP release from a single taste bud cell for the first time. For detecting ATP release, LAPS chip was functionalized with ATP-sensitive DNA aptamer by covalent immobilization. Taste bud cells isolated from rat were cultured on LAPS surface. When the desired single taste bud cell was illuminated by modulated light, ATP release from single taste bud cells can be measured by recording the shifts of bias voltage-photocurrent curves (I-V curves) when the LAPS chip is working in discrete mode. On the other hand, extracellular membrane potential changes can be monitored by recording the fluctuation of LAPS photocurrent when the LAPS chip is working in continuous mode. The results show this biosensor can effectively record the enhancive effect of the bitter substance and inhibitory effect of the carbenoxolone (CBX) on the extracellular membrane potential changes and ATP release of single taste bud cells. In addition, the inhibitory effect of CBX also confirms LAPS extracellular recordings are originated from bitter signal transduction. It is proved this biosensor is suitable for extracellular recording of ATP release and membrane potential changes of single taste bud cells. It is suggested this biosensor could be applied to investigating taste signal transduction at the single-cell level as well as applied to other types of cells which have similar functions to taste bud cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Application of radiation-induced graft polymerization to preparation of functional materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugo, Takanobu

    2010-01-01

    Radiation-induced graft polymerization is a powerful method for appending various functionalities onto existing fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, fibers, membranes, and beads while maintaining the shape and mechanical strength. By using this method, the author has developed and commercialized functional polymeric materials over 45 years. The materials produced by the fruits of radiation chemistry contributed to the improvement of our lives and environments and the collection of rare metal resources. (author)

  3. Thin porphyrin composite membranes with enhanced organic solvent transport

    KAUST Repository

    Phuoc, Duong; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

    2018-01-01

    Extending the stability of polymeric membranes in organic solvents is important for applications in chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Thin-film composite membranes with enhanced solvent permeance are proposed, using porphyrin as a building block

  4. Comparison and analysis of membrane fouling between flocculent sludge membrane bioreactor and granular sludge membrane bioreactor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Jing-Feng

    Full Text Available The goal of this study is to investigate the effect of inoculating granules on reducing membrane fouling. In order to evaluate the differences in performance between flocculent sludge and aerobic granular sludge in membrane reactors (MBRs, two reactors were run in parallel and various parameters related to membrane fouling were measured. The results indicated that specific resistance to the fouling layer was five times greater than that of mixed liquor sludge in the granular MBR. The floc sludge more easily formed a compact layer on the membrane surface, and increased membrane resistance. Specifically, the floc sludge had a higher moisture content, extracellular polymeric substances concentration, and negative surface charge. In contrast, aerobic granules could improve structural integrity and strength, which contributed to the preferable permeate performance. Therefore, inoculating aerobic granules in a MBR presents an effective method of reducing the membrane fouling associated with floc sludge the perspective of from the morphological characteristics of microbial aggregates.

  5. Design and evaluation of potentiometric principles for bladder volume monitoring: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shih-Ching; Hsieh, Tsung-Hsun; Fan, Wen-Jia; Lai, Chien-Hung; Chen, Chun-Lung; Wei, Wei-Feng; Peng, Chih-Wei

    2015-06-01

    Recent advances in microelectronics and wireless transmission technology have led to the development of various implantable sensors for real-time monitoring of bladder conditions. Although various sensing approaches for monitoring bladder conditions were reported, most such sensors have remained at the laboratory stage due to the existence of vital drawbacks. In the present study, we explored a new concept for monitoring the bladder capacity on the basis of potentiometric principles. A prototype of a potentiometer module was designed and fabricated and integrated with a commercial wireless transmission module and power unit. A series of in vitro pig bladder experiments was conducted to determine the best design parameters for implementing the prototype potentiometric device and to prove its feasibility. We successfully implemented the potentiometric module in a pig bladder model in vitro, and the error of the accuracy of bladder volume detection was design principles and animal experience gathered from this research can serve as a basis for developing new implantable bladder sensors in the future.

  6. Membrane-based ethylene/ethane separation: The upper bound and beyond

    KAUST Repository

    Rungta, Meha; Zhang, Chen; Koros, William J.; Xu, Liren

    2013-01-01

    Ethylene/ethane separation via cryogenic distillation is extremely energy-intensive, and membrane separation may provide an attractive alternative. In this paper, ethylene/ethane separation performance using polymeric membranes is summarized

  7. A selective potentiometric copper (II) ion sensor based on the functionalized ZnO nanorods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khun, K; Ibupoto, Z H; Liu, X; Nur, O; Willander, M; Danielsson, B

    2014-09-01

    In this work, ZnO nanorods were hydrothermally grown on the gold-coated glass substrate and characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The ZnO nanorods were functionalized by two different approaches and performance of the sensor electrode was monitored. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was carried out for the confirmation of interaction between the ionophore molecules and ZnO nanorods. In addition to this, the surface of the electrode was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showing the chemical and electronic state of the ionophore and ZnO nanorod components. The ionophore solution was prepared in the stabilizer, poly vinyl chloride (PVC) and additives, and then functionalized on the ZnO nanorods that have shown the Nernstian response with the slope of 31 mV/decade. However, the Cu2+ ion sensor was fabricated only by immobilizing the selective copper ion ionophore membrane without the use of PVC, plasticizers, additives and stabilizers and the sensor electrode showed a linear potentiometric response with a slope of 56.4 mV/decade within a large dynamic concentration range (from 1.0 x 10(-6) to 1.0 x 10(-1) M) of copper (II) nitrate solutions. The sensor showed excellent repeatability and reproducibility with response time of less than 10 s. The negligible response to potentially interfering metal ions such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), potassium (K+), iron (Fe3+), zinc (Zn2+), and sodium (Na+) allows this sensor to be used in biological studies. It may also be used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration.

  8. Determining a Solubility Product Constant by Potentiometric Titration to Increase Students' Conceptual Understanding of Potentiometry and Titrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabowski, Lauren E.; Goode, Scott R.

    2017-01-01

    Potentiometric titrations are widely taught in first-year undergraduate courses to connect electrochemistry, stoichiometry, and equilibria and to reinforce acid-base titrations. Students perform a potentiometric titration that is then analyzed to determine analyte concentrations and the solubility product constant of the solid species.

  9. TEMPO addition into pre-irradiated fluoropolymers and living-radical graft polymerization of styrene for preparation of polymer electrolyte membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sawada, Shin-ichi, E-mail: sawada.shinnichi@jaea.go.j [Conducting Polymer Materials Research Group, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, Gunma 370-1292 (Japan); Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Suzuki, Akihiro; Terai, Takayuki [Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Maekawa, Yasunari, E-mail: maekawa.yasunari@jaea.go.j [Conducting Polymer Materials Research Group, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, Gunma 370-1292 (Japan)

    2010-04-15

    We prepared proton exchange membranes (PEMs) by 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxy (TEMPO)-mediated living-radical graft polymerization (LRGP) of styrene into fluoropolymer films and subsequent sulfonation. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) films were first irradiated and then treated with TEMPO solutions in various solvents. TEMPO addition was confirmed by the test of styrene grafting into TEMPO-treated films at 60 deg. C, at which the LRGP never proceeds. This test enabled us to differentiate the LRGP from the conventional graft polymerization. In order to gain a deep insight about TEMPO-addition reaction, the TEMPO-penetration behavior into the base polymer films was examined by a permeation experiment and computer simulation. Xylene and dioxane were appropriate solvents for the complete introduction of TEMPO into PVDF and ETFE films, respectively. Then, the LRGP of styrene was performed based on the fully TEMPO-capped films at 125 deg. C with various solvents. By using an alcoholic solvent, the degree of grafting was enhanced and it reached a maximum of 38%. This grafted film was sulfonated to prepare a PEM showing an ion exchange capacity of 2.2 meq/g and proton conductivity of 1.6x10{sup -1} S/cm.

  10. Design of UV-absorbing PVDF membrane via surface-initiated AGET ATRP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Li; Liu, Xiangdong; Xiong, Zhengrong; Sheng, Dekun; Zhou, Yan; Lin, Changhong; Yang, Yuming

    2018-03-01

    Herein, PVDF membranes with excellent UV-absorbing property were first synthesized through grafting the polymerizable low-molecular-weight organic UV-absorber 2-hydroxy-4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxylpropoxy) benzophenone (BPMA) onto α-bromoester-functionalized PVDF membranes via the surface-initiated activator generated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-AGET ATRP). The surface initiators were immobilized by the reaction between 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide (BIBB) and the hydroxylated PVDF membranes. PVDF-g-PBPMA membranes with different grafting densities were obtained by tuning the polymerization time and the modified membranes were characterized by 1H-NMR, FT-IR, XPS, SEM, UV-vis Spectrophotometer, TGA and DSC. The experimental results indicated that PBPMA chains were successfully introduced onto PVDF membranes. Most importantly, the PVDF-g-PBPMA membranes exhibited outstanding UV-shielding property. UV-vis transmittance spectra showed that most UV light below 360 nm could be absorbed by PVDF-g-PBPMA membranes and the whole UV light region (200-400 nm) can be blocked with the reaction time increased.

  11. Development of pvc membrane based potentiometric pH sensor using amine type neutral carrier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, M.F.

    1999-01-01

    The glass membrane-based pH-electrode has proved its utility over decades. However some limitations are associated with these type of sensors. It can not be used for measuring pH of hydrofluoric acid solution and is difficult to miniaturize for biological applications due to its high resistance and fragility. In the present investigation modified PVC-membranes have been cast by incorporating lipophilic salt tetrabutyl ammonium tetraphenylborate and sodium tetraphenylborate along with electro active compound tri-n-octylamine as neutral carrier. The performance comparison of fabricated pH-sensitive membrane electrode has been carried out regarding their Nernstian slope and life time. The performance comparison of the membrane electrodes fabricated from laboratory grade tri-n-octylamine and those prepared from highly purified ionophore was also carried out. The slopes of the modified membrane electrodes based on pure ionophore were 59 mV/decade H/sup +/ ions and commercial ionophore 54 mV/decade H/sup +/ ions. The linear range was from pH 5-11. In the range of pH 6-10 response was excellent. The measurement of selectivity coefficients for the probable, interfering ions (anions and cations) were also carried out. (author)

  12. Synthesis of nano-sized arsenic-imprinted polymer and its use as As{sup 3+} selective ionophore in a potentiometric membrane electrode: Part 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alizadeh, Taher, E-mail: Alizadeh@uma.ac.ir; Rashedi, Mariyam

    2014-09-16

    Highlights: • The first arsenic cation-selective membrane electrode was introduced. • A novel procedure was introduced for the preparation of As-imprinted polymer. • It was found that arsenic is recognized by the IIP as As{sup 3+} species. • Nernstian response of 20.4 mV decade{sup −1} and DL of 0.5 μM was obtained. - Abstract: In this study, a new strategy was proposed for the preparation of As (III)-imprinted polymer by using arsenic (methacrylate){sub 3} as template. Precipitation polymerization was utilized to synthesize nano-sized As (III)-imprinted polymer. Methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate were used as the functional monomer and cross-linking agent, respectively. In order to assembly functional monomers around As (III) ion, sodium arsenite and methacrylic acid were heated in the presence of hydroquinone, leading to arsenic (methacrylate){sub 3}. The nano-sized As (III) selective polymer was characterized by FT-IR and scanning electron microscopy techniques (SEM). It was demonstrated that arsenic was recognized as As{sup 3+} by the selective cavities of the synthesized IIP. Based on the prepared polymer, the first arsenic cation selective membrane electrode was introduced. Membrane electrode was constructed by dispersion of As (III)-imprinted polymer nanoparticles in poly(vinyl chloride), plasticized with di-nonylphthalate. The IIP-modified electrode exhibited a Nernstian response (20.4 ± 0.5 mV decade{sup −1}) to arsenic ion over a wide concentration range (7.0 × 10{sup −7} to 1.0 × 10{sup −1} mol L{sup −1}) with a lower detection limit of 5.0 × 10{sup −7} mol L{sup −1}. Unlike this, the non-imprinted polymer (NIP)-based membrane electrode was not sensitive to arsenic in aqueous solution. The selectivity of the developed sensor to As (III) was shown to be satisfactory. The sensor was used for arsenic determination in some real samples.

  13. Effect of dissolved oxygen on two bacterial pathogens examined using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, microelectrophoresis, and potentiometric titration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, Felipe D; Sedman, Jacqueline; Ismail, Ashraf A; Asadishad, Bahareh; Tufenkji, Nathalie

    2010-06-01

    The effects of dissolved oxygen tension during bacterial growth and acclimation on the cell surface properties and biochemical composition of the bacterial pathogens Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Yersinia enterocolitica are characterized. Three experimental techniques are used in an effort to understand the influence of bacterial growth and acclimation conditions on cell surface charge and the composition of the bacterial cell: (i) electrophoretic mobility measurements; (ii) potentiometric titration; and (iii) ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Potentiometric titration data analyzed using chemical speciation software are related to measured electrophoretic mobilities at the pH of interest. Titration of bacterial cells is used to identify the major proton-active functional groups and the overall concentration of these cell surface ligands at the cell membrane. Analysis of titration data shows notable differences between strains and conditions, confirming the appropriateness of this tool for an overall charge characterization. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy of whole cells is used to further characterize the bacterial biochemical composition and macromolecular structures that might be involved in the development of the net surficial charge of the organisms examined. The evaluation of the integrated intensities of HPO(2)(-) and carbohydrate absorption bands in the IR spectra reveals clear differences between growth protocols. Taken together, the three techniques seem to indicate that the dissolved oxygen tension during cell growth or acclimation can noticeably influence the expression of cell surface molecules and the measurable cell surface charge, though in a strain-dependent fashion.

  14. Physical model for membrane protrusions during spreading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chamaraux, F; Ali, O; Fourcade, B; Keller, S; Bruckert, F

    2008-01-01

    During cell spreading onto a substrate, the kinetics of the contact area is an observable quantity. This paper is concerned with a physical approach to modeling this process in the case of ameboid motility where the membrane detaches itself from the underlying cytoskeleton at the leading edge. The physical model we propose is based on previous reports which highlight that membrane tension regulates cell spreading. Using a phenomenological feedback loop to mimic stress-dependent biochemistry, we show that the actin polymerization rate can be coupled to the stress which builds up at the margin of the contact area between the cell and the substrate. In the limit of small variation of membrane tension, we show that the actin polymerization rate can be written in a closed form. Our analysis defines characteristic lengths which depend on elastic properties of the membrane–cytoskeleton complex, such as the membrane–cytoskeleton interaction, and on molecular parameters, the rate of actin polymerization. We discuss our model in the case of axi-symmetric and non-axi-symmetric spreading and we compute the characteristic time scales as a function of fundamental elastic constants such as the strength of membrane–cytoskeleton adherence

  15. Performance of different hollow fiber membranes for seawater desalination using membrane distillation

    KAUST Repository

    Francis, Lijo; Ghaffour, NorEddine; Alsaadi, Ahmad Salem; Amy, Gary L.

    2014-01-01

    Membrane distillation requires a highly porous hydrophobic membrane with low surface energy. In this paper, we compare the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) performances of four different types of in-house fabricated hollow fiber membranes and two different commercially available hollow fiber membranes. Hollow fiber membranes are fabricated using wet-jet phase inversion technique and the polymeric matrices used for the fabrication are polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Commercial hollow fiber membrane materials are made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polypropylene (PP). PVDF hollow fibers showed a superior performance among all the hollow fibers tested in the DCMD process and gave a water vapor flux of 31 kg m-2h-1 at a feed and coolant inlet temperatures of 80 and 20°C, respectively. Under the same conditions, the water vapor flux observed for PP, PTFE, and PVC hollow fiber membranes are 13, 11, and 6 kg m-2h-1, respectively, with 99.99% salt rejection observed for all membranes used.

  16. Performance of different hollow fiber membranes for seawater desalination using membrane distillation

    KAUST Repository

    Francis, Lijo

    2014-08-11

    Membrane distillation requires a highly porous hydrophobic membrane with low surface energy. In this paper, we compare the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) performances of four different types of in-house fabricated hollow fiber membranes and two different commercially available hollow fiber membranes. Hollow fiber membranes are fabricated using wet-jet phase inversion technique and the polymeric matrices used for the fabrication are polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Commercial hollow fiber membrane materials are made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polypropylene (PP). PVDF hollow fibers showed a superior performance among all the hollow fibers tested in the DCMD process and gave a water vapor flux of 31 kg m-2h-1 at a feed and coolant inlet temperatures of 80 and 20°C, respectively. Under the same conditions, the water vapor flux observed for PP, PTFE, and PVC hollow fiber membranes are 13, 11, and 6 kg m-2h-1, respectively, with 99.99% salt rejection observed for all membranes used.

  17. Recent Membrane Development for Pervaporation Processes

    KAUST Repository

    Ong, Yee Kang

    2016-03-11

    Pervaporation has been regarded as a promising separation technology in separating azeotropic mixtures, solutions with similar boiling points, thermally sensitive compounds, organic–organic mixtures as well as in removing dilute organics from aqueous solutions. As the pervaporation membrane is one of the crucial factors in determining the overall efficiency of the separation process, this article reviews the research and development (R&D) of polymeric pervaporation membranes from the perspective of membrane fabrication procedures and materials.

  18. Recent Membrane Development for Pervaporation Processes

    KAUST Repository

    Ong, Yee Kang; Shi, Gui Min; Le, Ngoc Lieu; Tang, Yu Pan; Zuo, Jian; Nunes, Suzana Pereira; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

    2016-01-01

    Pervaporation has been regarded as a promising separation technology in separating azeotropic mixtures, solutions with similar boiling points, thermally sensitive compounds, organic–organic mixtures as well as in removing dilute organics from aqueous solutions. As the pervaporation membrane is one of the crucial factors in determining the overall efficiency of the separation process, this article reviews the research and development (R&D) of polymeric pervaporation membranes from the perspective of membrane fabrication procedures and materials.

  19. Potentiometric Surface of the Magothy Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2007

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

    2009-01-01

    This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Late Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2007. The map is based on water-level measurements in 69 wells. The highest measured water level was 85 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the north-central part of Anne Arundel County. The potentiometric surface declined towards the south. Local gradients were directed toward the center of a cone of depression in the Waldorf area that developed in response to pumping. Measured ground-water levels were as low as 90 feet below sea level in the Waldorf area.

  20. Complexation of Eu(III) with a polymeric cement additive as a potential carrier of actinides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lippold, Holger; Becker, Michael [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Reactive Transport

    2017-06-01

    In the long term, cementitious materials in a final repository will be exposed to leaching processes generating highly alkaline solutions. Polymeric additives, so-called superplasticizers, are considered as potential mobilizing agents for released radionuclides, since it is uncertain whether complete degradation will take place under the evolving aqueous conditions. Regarding the complexing properties of superplasticizers, there are only indirect assessments so far. In this study, first systematic investigations on complexation with Eu(III) as an analogue of trivalent actinides were performed at variable pH and electrolyte content (NaCl, CaCl{sub 2}) using ultrafiltration as a separation method. A stability constant was derived according to the charge neutralization model. For this purpose, the proton exchange capacity was determined by potentiometric titration.

  1. Polymeric synthetic geo membranes in reservoirs waterproofing in the Kingdom of Morocco; Las geomembranas sinteticas polimericas en la impermeabilizacion de balsas en el Reino de Marruecos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blanco Fernandez, M.

    2015-07-01

    This essay aims to address some of the aspects related to polymeric synthetic geo membranes that could be used in reservoirs of water located in the Kingdom of Morocco. In this regard, it offers a description of the two basic components geo membranes consist of, that is, resins and additives. It also gives an overview of the key pieces of legislation affecting such an issue. Furthermore, it stresses the paramount importance of implementing monitoring procedures in order to assess the condition of geo membranes over time and, if necessary, to proceed to provide for new waterproofing. Lastly, the characteristics of the process monitoring aforementioned are detailed in terms of tensile strength, elongation, tear resistance, dynamic impact, puncture resistance, low-temperature folding. Shore hardness, stress cracking, oxidation induction times, joint strength shear and peeling test, content and dispersion of carbon black and reflection-optical and scanning-electron microscopy. (Author)

  2. Dynamic potential and surface morphology study of sertraline membrane sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khater, M.M.; Issa, Y.M.; Hassib, H.B.; Mohammed, S.H.

    2014-01-01

    New rapid, sensitive and simple electrometric method was developed to determine sertraline hydrochloride (Ser-Cl) in its pure raw material and pharmaceutical formulations. Membrane sensors based on heteropolyacids as ion associating material were prepared. Silicomolybdic acid (SMA), silicotungstic acid (STA) and phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) were used. The slope and limit of detection are 50.00, 60.00 and 53.24 mV/decade and 2.51, 5.62 and 4.85 μmol L−1 for Ser-ST, Ser-PM and Ser-SM membrane sensors, respectively. Linear range is 0.01–10.00 for the three sensors. These new sensors were used for the potentiometric titration of Ser-Cl using sodium tetraphenylborate as titrant. The surface morphologies of the prepared membranes with and without the modifier (ion-associate) were studied using scanning and atomic force microscopes. PMID:26257944

  3. Radiolabeling of liposomes and polymeric micelles with PET-isotopes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Andreas Tue Ingemann

    as a revolution in modern therapeutics, especially in chemotherapy. A major reason is the ability of nanoparticles to accumulate in tumor tissue. Liposomes are the classic nanoparticle, consisting of a lipid membrane with an aqueous core. Polymeric micelles are made from amphiphilic detergent‐like copolymers......This thesis is divided into three separate chapters that can be read independently. Chapter 1 is a general introduction, touching upon liposomes and polymeric micelles and radiolabeling with 18F and 64Cu. Chapter 2 and 3 address two separate research projects, each described below. A complete......‐life only allowing up to 8 hours scans. 18F must be covalently attached to components of the liposome. By binding to a lipid, it can be stably lodged in the membrane. A glycerolipid and a cholesteryl ether were synthesized with free primary alcohols and a series of their sulphonates (Ms, Ts, Tf) were...

  4. Track membranes, production, properties, applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oganesjan, Yu.Ts.

    1994-01-01

    The problems of producing track membranes on heavy ion beams of the Flerov Laboratory are considered. The parameters of the running accelerators and equipment for the irradiation of polymer foils are presented. The process of production of track membranes based on different polymeric materials and various applications of the membranes are described. Special attention is given to the principally new applications and devices developed at the Laboratory. This report presents the results obtained by a big group of scientists and engineers working in the field of elaboration, investigation and application of track membranes (author). 21 refs, 20 figs, 1 tab

  5. Semi-automated potentiometric titration method for uranium characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cristiano, B.F.G., E-mail: barbara@ird.gov.br [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN), Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD), Avenida Salvador Allende s/n Recreio dos Bandeirantes, PO Box 37750, Rio de Janeiro, 22780-160 RJ (Brazil); Delgado, J.U.; Silva, J.W.S. da; Barros, P.D. de; Araujo, R.M.S. de [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN), Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD), Avenida Salvador Allende s/n Recreio dos Bandeirantes, PO Box 37750, Rio de Janeiro, 22780-160 RJ (Brazil); Lopes, R.T. [Programa de Engenharia Nuclear (PEN/COPPE), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Ilha do Fundao, PO Box 68509, Rio de Janeiro, 21945-970 RJ (Brazil)

    2012-07-15

    The manual version of the potentiometric titration method has been used for certification and characterization of uranium compounds. In order to reduce the analysis time and the influence of the analyst, a semi-automatic version of the method was developed in the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission. The method was applied with traceability assured by using a potassium dichromate primary standard. The combined standard uncertainty in determining the total concentration of uranium was around 0.01%, which is suitable for uranium characterization. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We developed a semi-automatic version of potentiometric titration method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The method is used for certification and characterization of uranium compounds. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The traceability of the method was assured by a K{sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7} primary standard. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The results of U{sub 3}O{sub 8} reference material analyzed was consistent with certified value. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The uncertainty obtained, near 0.01%, is useful for characterization purposes.

  6. All-Solid-State, PVC Membrane, and Carbon Paste Ion-Selective Electrodes for Determination of Donepezil Hydrochloride in Pharmaceutical Formulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khamees, Nesreen; Mohamed, Tagreed Abdel-Fattah; Derar, Abeer Rashad; Aziz, Azza

    2017-09-01

    All-solid-state, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane, and carbon paste potentiometric ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) were proposed for the determination of donepezil hydrochloride (DON) in the drug substance and a pharmaceutical formulation. The potentiometric response toward DON was based on the existence of donepezil-tetraphenyl borate (DON-TPB) in a PVC membrane or a carbon paste in the presence of dioctylphthalate. In contrast, the solid-state electrode was prepared by direct incorporation of DON-TPB into a commercial nail varnish without external additives. The electrodes exhibited Nernstian slopes of 55.0, 57.0, and 53.0 mV/decade over the concentration ranges of 1 × 10-5 to 1 × 10-3, 1 × 10-4 to 10-2, and 1 × 10-4 to 5 × 10-3 for the solid-state, PVC membrane, and carbon paste electrodes, respectively. The response of the electrodes is independent of pH in the range of 2-≤8. The electrodes showed good selectivity for DON with respect to a number of inorganic cations and amino acids. The electrodes were used for the determination of DON in pure solution and in pharmaceutical tablets with high accuracy (±2%) and precision (RSD ≤2%). The solid-state electrode is simple, economical, and rapid when compared to the PVC membrane and carbon paste electrodes.

  7. Morin-based nanofiltration membranes for organic solvent separation processes

    KAUST Repository

    Perez Manriquez, Liliana

    2018-02-26

    In this work we demonstrate the successful optimization of the interfacial polymerization reaction for the manufacture of organic solvent nanofiltration membranes by replacing the toxic amines commonly used for this method with the natural occurring bio-polyphenol morin. For the manufacture of this type of OSN membrane a crosslinked PAN support was coated by interfacial polymerization using morin as the monomer of the aqueous phase and terephtaloyl chloride as the monomer of the organic phase. These membranes showed an exceptional performance and resistance to NMP by having a a permeance of 0.3L/m2 h bar in NMP with a rejection of 96% of Brilliant Blue dye which has a molecular weight of 825.97g/mol, making these membranes attractive for harsh industrial separation processes due to their ease of manufacture, low cost, and excellent performance.

  8. Thin-film composite crosslinked polythiosemicarbazide membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN)

    KAUST Repository

    Aburabie, Jamaliah

    2015-01-01

    In this work we report a new class of solvent stable thin-film composite (TFC) membrane fabricated on crosslinked polythiosemicarbazide (PTSC) as substrate that exhibits superior stability compared with other solvent stable polymeric membranes reported up to now. Integrally skinned asymmetric PTSC membranes were prepared by the phase inversion process and crosslinked with an aromatic bifunctional crosslinker to improve the solvent stability. TFC membranes were obtained via interfacial polymerization using trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and diaminopiperazine (DAP) monomers. The membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle measurement.The membranes exhibited high fluxes toward solvents like tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) ranging around 20L/m2 h at 5bar with a molecular weight cut off (MWCO) of around 1000g/mol. The PTSC-based thin-film composite membranes are very stable toward polar aprotic solvents and they have potential applications in the petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry.

  9. A novel membrane-bound toxin for cell division, CptA (YgfX), inhibits polymerization of cytoskeleton proteins, FtsZ and MreB, in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masuda, Hisako; Tan, Qian; Awano, Naoki; Yamaguchi, Yoshihiro; Inouye, Masayori

    2012-03-01

    Nearly all free-living bacteria carry toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems on their genomes, through which cell growth and death are regulated. Toxins target a variety of essential cellular functions, including DNA replication, translation, and cell division. Here, we identified a novel toxin, YgfX, on the Escherichia coli genome. The toxin, consisting of 135 residues, is composed of the N-terminal membrane domain, which encompasses two transmembrane segments, and the C-terminal cytoplasmic domain. Upon YgfX expression, the cells were initially elongated and then the middle portion of the cells became inflated to form a lemon shape. YgfX was found to interact with MreB and FtsZ, two essential cytoskeletal proteins in E. coli. The cytoplasmic domain [YgfX(C)] was found to be responsible for the YgfX toxicity, as purified YgfX(C) was found to block the polymerization of FtsZ and MreB in vitro. YgfY, located immediately upstream of YgfX, was shown to be the cognate antitoxin; notably, YgfX is the first membrane-associating toxin in bacterial TA systems. We propose to rename the toxin and the antitoxin as CptA and CptB (for Cytoskeleton Polymerization inhibiting Toxin), respectively. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Broad spectrum antibacterial and antifungal polymeric paint materials: synthesis, structure-activity relationship, and membrane-active mode of action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoque, Jiaul; Akkapeddi, Padma; Yadav, Vikas; Manjunath, Goutham B; Uppu, Divakara S S M; Konai, Mohini M; Yarlagadda, Venkateswarlu; Sanyal, Kaustuv; Haldar, Jayanta

    2015-01-28

    Microbial attachment and subsequent colonization onto surfaces lead to the spread of deadly community-acquired and hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections. Noncovalent immobilization of water insoluble and organo-soluble cationic polymers onto a surface is a facile approach to prevent microbial contamination. In the present study, we described the synthesis of water insoluble and organo-soluble polymeric materials and demonstrated their structure-activity relationship against various human pathogenic bacteria including drug-resistant strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and beta lactam-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae as well as pathogenic fungi such as Candida spp. and Cryptococcus spp. The polymer coated surfaces completely inactivated both bacteria and fungi upon contact (5 log reduction with respect to control). Linear polymers were more active and found to have a higher killing rate than the branched polymers. The polymer coated surfaces also exhibited significant activity in various complex mammalian fluids such as serum, plasma, and blood and showed negligible hemolysis at an amount much higher than minimum inhibitory amounts (MIAs). These polymers were found to have excellent compatibility with other medically relevant polymers (polylactic acid, PLA) and commercial paint. The cationic hydrophobic polymer coatings disrupted the lipid membrane of both bacteria and fungi and thus showed a membrane-active mode of action. Further, bacteria did not develop resistance against these membrane-active polymers in sharp contrast to conventional antibiotics and lipopeptides, thus the polymers hold great promise to be used as coating materials for developing permanent antimicrobial paint.

  11. A Urea Potentiometric Biosensor Based on a Thiophene Copolymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng-Yuan (Kevin Lai

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available A potentiometric enzyme biosensor is a convenient detector for quantification of urea concentrations in industrial processes, or for monitoring patients with diabetes, kidney damage or liver malfunction. In this work, poly(3-hexylthiophene-co-3-thiopheneacetic acid (P(3HT-co-3TAA was chemically synthesized, characterized and spin-coated onto conductive indium tin oxide (ITO glass electrodes. Urease (Urs was covalently attached to the smooth surface of this copolymer via carbodiimide coupling. The electrochemical behavior and stability of the modified Urs/P(3HT-co-3TAA/ITO glass electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, and the bound enzyme activity was confirmed by spectrophotometry. Potentiometric response studies indicated that this electrode could determine the concentration of urea in aqueous solutions, with a quasi-Nernstian response up to about 5 mM. No attempt was made to optimize the response speed; full equilibration occurred after 10 min, but the half-time for response was typically <1 min.

  12. The oxidation of PET track-etched membranes by hydrogen peroxide as an effective method to increase efficiency of UV-induced graft polymerization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Il'ya Korolkov

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we report on functionalization of track-etched membrane based on poly(ethylene terephthalate (PET TeMs oxidized by advanced oxidation systems and by grafting of acrylic acid using photochemical initiation technique for the purpose of increasing functionality thus expanding its practical application. Among advanced oxidation processes (H2O2/UV system had been chosen to introduce maximum concentration of carboxylic acid groups. Benzophenone (BP photo-initiator was first immobilized on the surfaces of cylindrical pores which were later filled with aq. acrylic acid solution. UV-irradiation from both sides of PET TeMs has led to the formation of grafted poly(acrylic acid (PAA chains inside the membrane nanochannels. Effect of oxygen-rich surface of PET TeMs on BP adsorption and subsequent process of photo-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid (AA were studied by ESR. The surface of oxidized and AA grafted PET TeMs was characterized by UV-vis, ATR-FTIR, XPS spectroscopies and by SEM.

  13. Polymeric membranes containing silver salts for propylene/propane separation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. D. Pollo

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The separation of olefin/paraffin mixtures is one of the most important processes of the chemical industry. This separation is typically carried out by distillation, which is an energy and capital intensive process. One promising alternative is the use of facilitated transport membranes, which contain specific carrier agents in the polymer matrix that interact reversibly with the double bond in the olefin molecule, promoting the simultaneous increase of its permeability and selectivity. In this study, polyurethane (PU membranes were prepared using two different silver salts (triflate and hexafluorantimonate. The membranes were structurally characterized and their performance for the separation of propylene/propane mixtures was evaluated. The results of the characterization analyses indicated that the triflate salt was the most efficient carrier agent. The membranes containing this salt showed the best performance, reaching an ideal selectivity of 10 and propylene permeability of 188 Barrer.

  14. Asymmetric Hollow Fiber Membranes for Separation of CO 2 from Hydrocarbons and Fluorocarbons at High-Pressure Conditions Relevant to C 2 F 4 Polymerization

    KAUST Repository

    Kosuri, Madhava R.

    2009-12-02

    Separation of high-pressure carbon dioxide from fluorocarbons is important for the production of fluoropolymers such as poly(tetrafluoroethylene). Typical polymeric membranes plasticize under high CO2 partial pressure conditions and fail to provide adequate selective separations. Torlon, a polyamide-imide polymer, with the ability to form interchain hydrogen bonding, is shown to provide stability against aggressive CO2 plasticization. Torlon membranes in the form of asymmetric hollow fibers (the most productive form of membranes) are considered for an intended separation of CO 2/C2F4. To avoid safety issues with tetrafluoroethylene (C2F4), which could detonate under testing conditions, safer surrogate mixtures (C2H2F 2 and C2H4) are considered in this paper. Permeation measurements (at 35 °C) indicate that the Torlon membranes are not plasticized even up to 1250 psi of CO2. The membranes provide mixed gas CO2/C2H2F2 and CO 2/C2H4 selectivities of 100 and 30, respectively, at 1250 psi partial pressures of CO2. On the basis of the measured separation performances of CO2/C2H 2F2 and CO2/C2H4 mixtures, the selectivity of the CO2/C2F4 mixture is expected to be greater than 100. Long-term stability studies indicate that the membranes provide stable separations over a period of 5 days at 1250 psi partial pressures of CO2, thereby making the membrane approach attractive. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

  15. Asymmetric Hollow Fiber Membranes for Separation of CO 2 from Hydrocarbons and Fluorocarbons at High-Pressure Conditions Relevant to C 2 F 4 Polymerization

    KAUST Repository

    Kosuri, Madhava R.; Koros, William J.

    2009-01-01

    Separation of high-pressure carbon dioxide from fluorocarbons is important for the production of fluoropolymers such as poly(tetrafluoroethylene). Typical polymeric membranes plasticize under high CO2 partial pressure conditions and fail to provide adequate selective separations. Torlon, a polyamide-imide polymer, with the ability to form interchain hydrogen bonding, is shown to provide stability against aggressive CO2 plasticization. Torlon membranes in the form of asymmetric hollow fibers (the most productive form of membranes) are considered for an intended separation of CO 2/C2F4. To avoid safety issues with tetrafluoroethylene (C2F4), which could detonate under testing conditions, safer surrogate mixtures (C2H2F 2 and C2H4) are considered in this paper. Permeation measurements (at 35 °C) indicate that the Torlon membranes are not plasticized even up to 1250 psi of CO2. The membranes provide mixed gas CO2/C2H2F2 and CO 2/C2H4 selectivities of 100 and 30, respectively, at 1250 psi partial pressures of CO2. On the basis of the measured separation performances of CO2/C2H 2F2 and CO2/C2H4 mixtures, the selectivity of the CO2/C2F4 mixture is expected to be greater than 100. Long-term stability studies indicate that the membranes provide stable separations over a period of 5 days at 1250 psi partial pressures of CO2, thereby making the membrane approach attractive. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

  16. Activation of PVDF membranes through facile hydroxylation of the polymeric dope

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Gharabli, Samer; Mavukkandy, Musthafa O.; Kujawa, Joanna; Nunes, Suzana Pereira; Arafat, Hassan A.

    2017-01-01

    A method comprising a two-step alkali/acid treatment of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer is developed for the fabrication of flat-sheet PVDF membranes functionalized with labile hydroxyl groups. This method involves the application of a short-duration modification in alkali medium (5% KOH). Extensive characterizations were performed on the prepared membranes. Modification of the polymer altered the crystallinity of the PVDF from a mixture of both α and β phases to a predominant β phase. Lower work of adhesion of the modified membrane indicated the formation of a more hydrophobic and wetting-resistant membrane surface. Centrifugation of the polymer dope after the modification had a pronounced impact on the properties of the resultant membranes. This protocol could be utilized in fine-tuning the properties of PVDF membranes for various target-specific applications such as membrane distillation. This method can also be used in functionalizing PVDF membranes further by exploiting the labile –OH group present on the membrane surface.

  17. Activation of PVDF membranes through facile hydroxylation of the polymeric dope

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Gharabli, Samer

    2017-10-30

    A method comprising a two-step alkali/acid treatment of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer is developed for the fabrication of flat-sheet PVDF membranes functionalized with labile hydroxyl groups. This method involves the application of a short-duration modification in alkali medium (5% KOH). Extensive characterizations were performed on the prepared membranes. Modification of the polymer altered the crystallinity of the PVDF from a mixture of both α and β phases to a predominant β phase. Lower work of adhesion of the modified membrane indicated the formation of a more hydrophobic and wetting-resistant membrane surface. Centrifugation of the polymer dope after the modification had a pronounced impact on the properties of the resultant membranes. This protocol could be utilized in fine-tuning the properties of PVDF membranes for various target-specific applications such as membrane distillation. This method can also be used in functionalizing PVDF membranes further by exploiting the labile –OH group present on the membrane surface.

  18. Study on non-ionic membrane prepared by radiation-induced graft polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hegazy, E.-S.A.; Mokhtar, S.M.; Osman, M.B.S.; Mostafa, A.E.-K.B.

    1990-01-01

    The preparation of good hydrogel supported on polymeric material was carried out by means of direct radiation-induced graft polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) onto low density polyethylene films (LDPE). The optimum conditions were determined, at which the grafting process occurred and suitable degrees of grafting were obtained with a homogeneous distribution of the graft chains throughout the polymer. The effect of different inhibitors, addition of ZnCl 2 and monomer concentration on the grafting yield was also studied. Some investigations and characterization on the prepared graft copolymer were investigated and the possibility of its practical use was discussed. Mechanical properties, thermal and chemical stability and hydrophilic properties of such prepared grafted films showed a great promise in some practical applications. (author)

  19. Liquid radioactive wastes from hospitals by polymeric membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arnal, J.M.; Sancho, M.; Verdu, G.; Campayo, J.M.

    1998-01-01

    Streams containing I''125 produced from RIA process, classified as radioactive waste of low activity, are generated by all different treatments applied in IN VITRO techniques. Consequently, an accumulation of solutions containing I''125 is produced in the order of 50-100 L/month approximately. The storage at sanitary centres and the accumulation caused by it creates a serious problem in the hospital. According to the specific activity and the installation spill authorization, one can choose between three ways of handling: direct discharge, temporal storage until the radioactive waste come to decay and then discharged, waste management by the authorised company (ENRESA). If the third way of discharge is applied the treatment of waste using membranes should be considered. Using membranes, important reduction coefficients in volume in the order of 10:1 are obtained. The aim of this work is the declassification of the I''125 solutions as a liquid radioactive waste using membrane techniques. Both, a radioactive concentrated waste and non-contaminated waste are obtained. (Author)

  20. Cross-linked polymeric membranes for carbon dioxide separation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Tao; Chatterjee, Sabornie; Mahurin, Shannon Mark; Long, Brian Keith; Jiang, De-en; Mays, Jimmy Wayne; Sokolov, Alexei P.; Saito, Tomonori

    2018-01-23

    A membrane useful in gas separation, the membrane comprising a cross-linked polysiloxane structure having a cross-link density of about 0.1.times.10.sup.-5 mol/cm.sup.3 to about 6.times.10.sup.-5 mol/cm.sup.3, where, in particular embodiments, the cross-linked polysiloxane structure has the following general structure: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 are independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having at least 1 and up to 6 carbon atoms; A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 are independently selected from cyclic hydrocarbon groups; L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 are linking groups or covalent bonds; n is an integer of at least 1; r and s are independently selected from integers of at least 1; and p is an integer of at least 10. The invention also includes methods for making and using the above-described membranes for gas separation.

  1. Spectrophotometric, potentiometric, and gravimetric determination of lanthanides with peri-dihydroxynaphthindenone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassan, S.S.M.; Mahmoud, W.H.

    1982-01-01

    Sensitive and reasonably selective methods are described for the spectrophotometric, potentiometric, and gravimetric determination of lanthanides using peri-dihydroxynaphthindenone as a novel chromogenic and precipitating reagent. The reagent forms a stable 1:2 (metal:reagent) type of complex with light lanthanides at pH 2-7 in 1:1 ethanol-water mixture. Low metal concentrations ( 4 L mol -1 cm -1 ) which obey Beer's law. Quantitative precipitation of the complexes from metal solutions of concentrations > 100 μg/mL permits both gravimetric quantitation by igniting the precipitates to the metal oxides and potentiometric titration of the excess reagent. Results with an average recovery of 98% (standard deviation 0.7%) are obtainable for 0.1 μg to 200 mg of all light lanthanides. Many foreign ions naturally occurring or frequently associated with lanthanides do not interfere or can be tolerated

  2. Chitosan/Carboxymethylcellulose/Ionic Liquid/Ag(0) Nanoparticles Form a Membrane with Antimicrobial Activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quadros, C.; Faria, V.W.; Scheeren, C.W.; Klein, M.P.; Hertz, P.F.

    2013-01-01

    Silver metal nanoparticles were immobilized in chitosan/carboxymethylcellulose/BMI.BF4(1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid) (CS/CMC/IL) to form polymeric membrane with 20 μm thickness. The CS/CMC/IL polymeric membrane was prepared using a simple solution blending method. Irregularly shaped Ag(0) nanoparticles with monomodal size distributions of nm Ag(0) were immobilized in the membrane. The presence of small Ag(0) nanoparticles induced an augmentation in the CS/CMC/IL film surface areas. The CS/CMC/IL membrane containing Ag(0) showed increase antimicrobial activity the Ag(0) concentration increased up to saturation at 10 mg. CS/CMC/IL membrane that contains Ag(0) nanoparticles has enhanced durability of the membrane and exhibited stronger antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

  3. Polymeric microsieves via phase separation microfabrication: Process and design optimization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bikel, M.; Culfaz, P.Z.; Bolhuis-Versteeg, Lydia A.M.; Perez, J. Garduno; Lammertink, Rob G.H.; Wessling, Matthias

    2010-01-01

    Phase separation microfabrication (PSμF) is a fabrication method that allows the preparation of membranes having micropattern surface topologies. PSμF has been successfully used for manufacturing polymeric microsieves. The technique benefits from the vertical shrinkage of polymer solutions to ensure

  4. Atomic Force Microscopy as a Tool for Asymmetric Polymeric Membrane Characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdul Wahab Mohammad; Pei, L.Y.; Indok Nurul Hasyimah Mohd Amin; Rafeqah Raslan

    2011-01-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has a wide range of applications and is rapidly growing in research and development. This powerful technique has been used to visualize surfaces both in liquid or gas media. It has been considered as an effective tool to investigate the surface structure for its ability to generate high-resolution 3D images at a subnanometer range without sample pretreatment. In this paper, the use of AFM to characterize the membrane roughness is presented for commercial and self-prepared membranes for specific applications. Surface roughness has been regarded as one of the most important surface properties, and has significant effect in membrane permeability and fouling behaviour. Several scan areas were used to compare surface roughness for different membrane samples. Characterization of the surfaces was achieved by measuring the average roughness (R a ) and root mean square roughness (R rms ) of the membrane. AFM image shows that the membrane surface was composed entirely of peaks and valleys. Surface roughness is substantially greater for commercial available hydrophobic membranes, in contrast to self-prepared membranes. This study also shows that foulants deposited on membrane surface would increase the membrane roughness. (author)

  5. Direct quantification of negatively charged functional groups on membrane surfaces

    KAUST Repository

    Tiraferri, Alberto; Elimelech, Menachem

    2012-01-01

    groups at the surface of dense polymeric membranes. Both techniques consist of associating the membrane surface moieties with chemical probes, followed by quantification of the bound probes. Uranyl acetate and toluidine blue O dye, which interact

  6. Mixed Matrix Composite Membranes Containing POSS Molecules for Carbon Dioxide Removal Application

    KAUST Repository

    Rini, Eki Listya

    2011-05-10

    CO2 removal by membrane processes is considerably potential for several applications such as natural gas and synthesis gas purification, enhanced oil recovery application, and carbon dioxide capture in combat against global warming. Dense polymeric membranes are commonly utilized for these type of gas separation applications. Nevertheless, the intrinsic properties of dense polymeric membranes, which commonly characterize by the low gas permeability versus high gas selectivity trade–off or vice versa, is less desirable. In order to meet the increased demand of CO2 removal, a strategy to improve the gas separation performance of a polymeric membrane is investigated in this study. With this regard, mixed matrix membranes in which inorganic non porous fillers are incorporated into a polymeric matrix were prepared to achieve the aforementioned objective. The mixed matrix membranes were prepared from Pebax® block copolymers and PEG POSS® molecules. These hybrid membranes were formed as both dense and multilayer composite membranes. The dense transparent membranes with well–dispersed fillers could be obtained by variation of the solvent mixture. The DSC analyses showed that incorporation of PEG POSS® into Pebax® matrix altered the thermal properties of the matrix. The multilayer composite membranes were then prepared from a PTMSP gutter layer deposited on a PAN porous support and an adjacent hybrid Pebax®/PEG POSS® as the top layer. These hybrid multilayer composite membranes exhibited an enhanced CO2 selectiv4 ity by a factor of two relative to the pure Pebax®. In these hybrid systems, the CO2 separation was presumably enhanced by the high ether oxides content from PEG POSS® that has high affinities for CO2. For particular composition of Pebax® and PEG POSS® concentrations, the PTMSP gutter layer harnessed the CO2 selectivity without losing the CO2 permeation rate. At the same time, these membrane, however, suffered severe adhesion between the gutter layer

  7. Factors Influencing Membrane fouling in the MBR Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parvin Nahid

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Biological processes of wastewater treatmnent have found wide applications due to their lower costs and higher efficiency. Membrane bioreactors (MBR’s form one group of such processes in which membrane fouling is of great importance. Efficiency of critical flux (CF has been proved to be a parameter effective in fouling control (CF. CF is itself influenced by three main groups of variables that include sludge parameters, operating conditions, and membrane types. In this stidy, the effects of such factors as trans-membrane pressure, protein and carbohydrate concentrations in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS, and soluble microbial products (SMP on CF were investigated in a submerged MBR.  Moreover, the effects of such operating conditions as periodic and continuous suctions at two sludge concentrations were studied. It was found that increasing flux led to enhanced membrane fouling rates. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS were found to have no relations with critical flux (CF, probably because EPS are mostly found as bigger flocks. Finally, a reverse relationship was established between CF and carbohydrate concentration of the SMP. Membrane fouling control was observed to be positively affected by the rest modes during periodic suctions.

  8. Potentiometric determination of hexavalent uranium in uranium silicide samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arlegui, Oscar

    1999-01-01

    The Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission's Department of Nuclear Materials has among its projects the production of fuels elements for nuclear reactors, and, therefore, the Chemical Analysis Laboratory must have a rapid and reliable method for uranium analysis, to control the uranium concentration during each stage of the production process. For this reason the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission's Chemical Analysis Laboratory has validated a potentiometric method, which is a modification of the Davies and Gray method proposed by A.R. Eberle. This method uses the Potentiometric Titration Technique and is based on the direct and rapid reduction of uranium (VI) to Uranium (IV), in a concentrated phosphoric acid medium, with excess iron (II) used as a reducing agent. In this medium the excess iron (II) selectively oxidizes to iron (III) with nitric acid, using molybdenum (IV) as a catalyzer, the nitrous acid that is produced is eliminated by adding amidosulfuric acid. The solution is diluted with 1M sulfuric acid and the uranium (IV) obtained is titrated potentiometrically with potassium dichromate in the presence of vanadilic sulfate to obtain a better defined final titration point. The samples were softened with hydrochloric acid and nitric acid and later 50 ml were estimated in a 20% sulfuric acid medium. The analytical method was validated by comparing it with Certified Reference Material (C.R.M.) from the New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL), Metallic Uranium, CRM 112-A. The F Test and the T Test show that the value calculated is less than the tabulated value so the result is traceable to the reference material. The quantification limit, sensitivity, precision and accuracy were quantified for the method

  9. Membrane modules for building ventilation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kistler, K.R.; Cussler, E.L.

    2002-01-01

    Hollow fibre and flat sheet membranes with an interfacially polymerized coating of polyamide have a permeance for water vapour of about 0.16 m sec{sup -1}. These membranes can serve as a basis for building ventilation which provides fresh air while recovering about 70% of the specific heat and 60% of the latent heat. Because these membranes are selective for water vapour, the air is exhausted with internal pollutants like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and radon. The expense of the ventilator should be recovered in reduced heating costs in about three years. (Author)

  10. Transport through track etched polymeric blend membrane

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    Department of Physics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302 004, India. MS received 10 June 2005 ... Both the track and bulk etching takes place in the irradiated membrane. ... using rotating flywheel attachment, the details having been given ...

  11. Towards supported bolaamphiphile membranes for water filtration: Roles of lipid and substrate

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kaufman, Y.; Grinberg, S.; Linder, C..; Heldman, E.; Gilron, J.; Shen, Yue-xiao; Kumar, M.; Lammertink, Rob G.H.; Freger, V.

    2014-01-01

    Supported biomimetic membranes hold potential for applications such as biosensors and water purification by filtration. The current paper reports on the preparation of a supported bolaamphiphile membrane on two polymeric nanofiltration membranes: NF-270 made of polyamide with carboxylic surface

  12. Charge characteristics of humic and fulvic acids: comparative analysis by colloid titration and potentiometric titration with continuous pK-distribution function model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bratskaya, S; Golikov, A; Lutsenko, T; Nesterova, O; Dudarchik, V

    2008-09-01

    Charge characteristics of humic and fulvic acids of a different origin (inshore soils, peat, marine sediments, and soil (lysimetric) waters) were evaluated by means of two alternative methods - colloid titration and potentiometric titration. In order to elucidate possible limitations of the colloid titration as an express method of analysis of low content of humic substances we monitored changes in acid-base properties and charge densities of humic substances with soil depth, fractionation, and origin. We have shown that both factors - strength of acidic groups and molecular weight distribution in humic and fulvic acids - can affect the reliability of colloid titration. Due to deviations from 1:1 stoichiometry in interactions of humic substances with polymeric cationic titrant, the colloid titration can underestimate total acidity (charge density) of humic substances with domination of weak acidic functional groups (pK>6) and high content of the fractions with molecular weight below 1kDa.

  13. Retention measurements of nanofiltration membranes with electrolyte solutions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Peeters, J.M.M.; Peeters, J.M.M.; Boom, J.P.; Boom, J.P.; Mulder, M.H.V.; Strathmann, H.

    1998-01-01

    Retention measurements with single salt solutions of CaCl2, NaCl and Na2SO4 revealed that the rejection mechanism of commercial polymeric nanofiltration membranes investigated in this study may be divided into two categories: 1. Membranes for which Donnan exclusion seems to play an important role.

  14. Nanostructured Polysulfone-Based Block Copolymer Membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Xie, Yihui

    2016-05-01

    The aim of this work is to fabricate nanostructured membranes from polysulfone-based block copolymers through self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation. Block copolymers containing polysulfone are novel materials for this purpose providing better mechanical and thermal stability to membranes than polystyrene-based copolymers, which have been exclusively used now. Firstly, we synthesized a triblock copolymer, poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polsulfone-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) through polycondensation and reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization. The obtained membrane has a highly porous interconnected skin layer composed of elongated micelles with a flower-like arrangement, on top of the graded finger-like macrovoids. Membrane surface hydrolysis was carried out in a combination with metal complexation to obtain metal-chelated membranes. The copper-containing membrane showed improved antibacterial capability. Secondly, a poly(acrylic acid)-b-polysulfone-b-poly(acrylic acid) triblock copolymer obtained by hydrolyzing poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polsulfone-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) formed a thin film with cylindrical poly(acrylic acid) microdomains in polysulfone matrix through thermal annealing. A phase inversion membrane was prepared from the same polymer via self-assembly and chelation-assisted non-solvent induced phase separation. The spherical micelles pre-formed in a selective solvent mixture packed into an ordered lattice in aid of metal-poly(acrylic acid) complexation. The space between micelles was filled with poly(acrylic acid)-metal complexes acting as potential water channels. The silver0 nanoparticle-decorated membrane was obtained by surface reduction, having three distinct layers with different particle sizes. Other amphiphilic copolymers containing polysulfone and water-soluble segments such as poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) were also synthesized through coupling reaction and copper0-mediated

  15. Partially fluorinated electrospun proton exchange membranes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2016-01-01

    The present invention relates to a novel porous membrane layer, to a novel method for producing a membrane, and the membranes produced by the novel method. The present invention further relates to a fuel cell comprising the porous layer, as well as any use of the porous layer in a fuel cell or in...... copolymer, and wherein at least one side chain of the graft copolymer comprises a polymerization product of a polymerizable proton donor group or a precursor thereof....

  16. A Novel Seeding Method of Interfacial Polymerization-Assisted Dip Coating for the Preparation of Zeolite NaA Membranes on Ceramic Hollow Fiber Supports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yue; Wang, Ming; Xu, Zhen-Liang; Ma, Xiao-Hua; Xue, Shuang-Mei

    2016-09-28

    A novel seeding method combining interfacial polymerization (IP) technique with dip-coating operation was designed for directly coating nanosized NaA seed crystals (150 nm) onto the micrometer-sized α-Al2O3 hollow fiber support, in which the polyamide (PA) produced by IP acted as an effective medium to freeze and fix seed crystals at the proper position so that the controlled seed layer could be accomplished. While a coating suspension with only 0.5 wt % seed content was used, a very thin seed layer with high quality and good adhesion was achieved through dip coating twice without drying between, and the whole seeding process was operated at ambient conditions. The resulting zeolite NaA membranes not only exhibited high pervaporation (PV) performance with an average separation factor above 10000 and flux nearly 9.0 kg/m(2)·h in dehydration of 90 wt % ethanol aqueous solution at 348 K but also demonstrated great reproducibility by testing more than eight batches of zeolite membranes. In addition, this seeding strategy could be readily extended to the preparation of other supported zeolite membranes for a wide range of separation applications.

  17. Improved surface property of PVDF membrane with amphiphilic zwitterionic copolymer as membrane additive

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Jianhua, E-mail: jhli_2005@163.com [Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technology and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350001 (China); Li Mizi; Miao Jing; Wang Jiabin; Shao Xisheng [Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technology and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350001 (China); Zhang Qiqing, E-mail: zhangqiq@126.com [Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technology and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350001 (China) and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192 (China)

    2012-06-15

    An attempt to improve hydrophilicity and anti-fouling properties of PVDF membranes, a novel amphiphilic zwitterionic copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PVDF-g-PSBMA) was firstly synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and used as amphiphilic copolymer additive in the preparation of PVDF membranes. The PVDF-g-PSBMA/PVDF blend membranes were prepared by immersion precipitation process. Fourier transform infrared attenuated reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS) measurements confirmed that PSBMA brushes from amphiphilic additives were preferentially segregated to membrane-coagulant interface during membrane formation. The morphology of membranes was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Water contact angle measurements showed that the surface hydrophilicity of PVDF membranes was improved significantly with the increasing of amphiphilic copolymer PVDF-g-PSBMA in cast solution. Protein static adsorption experiment and dynamic fouling resistance experiment revealed that the surface enrichment of PSBMA brush endowed PVDF blend membrane great improvement of surface anti-fouling ability.

  18. Improved surface property of PVDF membrane with amphiphilic zwitterionic copolymer as membrane additive

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jianhua; Li Mizi; Miao Jing; Wang Jiabin; Shao Xisheng; Zhang Qiqing

    2012-01-01

    An attempt to improve hydrophilicity and anti-fouling properties of PVDF membranes, a novel amphiphilic zwitterionic copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PVDF-g-PSBMA) was firstly synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and used as amphiphilic copolymer additive in the preparation of PVDF membranes. The PVDF-g-PSBMA/PVDF blend membranes were prepared by immersion precipitation process. Fourier transform infrared attenuated reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS) measurements confirmed that PSBMA brushes from amphiphilic additives were preferentially segregated to membrane-coagulant interface during membrane formation. The morphology of membranes was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Water contact angle measurements showed that the surface hydrophilicity of PVDF membranes was improved significantly with the increasing of amphiphilic copolymer PVDF-g-PSBMA in cast solution. Protein static adsorption experiment and dynamic fouling resistance experiment revealed that the surface enrichment of PSBMA brush endowed PVDF blend membrane great improvement of surface anti-fouling ability.

  19. MECHANISM OF LIQUID MEMBRANES AND APPLICATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filiz Nuran ACAR

    2002-02-01

    Full Text Available It has been considerably studied on the recycling of waste materials in the source besides of wastewater treatment in the last years. It has been important developments on the using of semiconductor membranes in the recycling of toxic materials such as heavy metals, intensifying the environment protection measures especially in the west countries. Wastewater treatment has been achieved with liquid membranes as it has been achieved with polymeric membrane systems such as ultrafiltration, microfiltration, electrodialysis. At the same time, liquid membranes are used for removal of metal ions in hydrometallurgy. Liquid membranes are also used in biotechnology, medical areas and gas separation process.

  20. Origin of two time-scale regimes in potentiometric titration of metal oxides. A replica kinetic Monte Carlo study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarzycki, Piotr P.; Rosso, Kevin M.

    2009-01-01

    Replica Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations were used to study the characteristic time scales of potentiometric titration of the metal oxides and (oxy)hydroxides. The effect of surface heterogeneity and surface transformation on the titration kinetics were also examined. Two characteristic relaxation times are often observed experimentally, with the trailing slower part attributed to surface non-uniformity, porosity, polymerization, amorphization, and other dynamic surface processes induced by unbalanced surface charge. However, our simulations show that these two characteristic relaxation times are intrinsic to the proton binding reaction for energetically homogeneous surfaces, and therefore surface heterogeneity or transformation do not necessarily need to be invoked. However, all such second-order surface processes are found to intensify the separation and distinction of the two kinetic regimes. The effect of surface energetic-topographic non-uniformity, as well dynamic surface transformation, interface roughening/smoothing were described in a statistical fashion. Furthermore, our simulations show that a shift in the point-of-zero charge is expected from increased titration speed and the pH-dependence of the titration measurement error is in excellent agreement with experimental studies.