Water-methanol separation characteristics of annealed SA/PVA complex membranes

▸ Sodium alginate (SA)/polyvinylalcohol (PVA) were complexed with divalent calcium ions. ▸ Annealing process leads to the shrinkage of free volume between the polymer chains. ▸ The performance of membranes for water-methanol separation was investigated. ▸ Annealed membranes exhibited the molecular sieving effect.