(379f) Innovative Techniques for Membrane Fabrication and Characterization

The polymeric membrane fabrication literature deals primarily with well-known processes such as phase inversion and interfacial polymerization that are commonly employed on a commercial scale.  However, much can often be learned from novel fabrication processes that are best defined as hybrid techniques or utilize truly unusual casting conditions to create unique microstructures.  Moreover, irrespective of the fabrication methodology utilized, there is a continuing and critical need for improved methods for overall characterization of membranes and membrane processes.  Such processes are pivotal in a wide range of commercial applications including water desalination, industrial gas separation, and bioprocessing.  Information obtained via characterization enables unique insights regarding fundamental membrane behavior and also provides a firm basis for improvements in the optimization of membrane-based processes.  This presentation provides examples of developments in these areas by highlighting innovative membrane fabrication processes such as thermally assisted evaporative phase separation (TAEPS) and microgravity casting as well as novel membrane characterization techniques including evapoporometry (EP), pendant drop mechanical analysis (PDMA) and ultrasonic time-domain reflectometry (UTDR).  The common connection among these examples is that they all were a part of the ongoing 30-year collaboration between Prof. William Krantz and me, a collaboration that has immeasurably enriched my career.