Pervaporation multilayer membranes based on a polyelectrolyte complex of λ-carrageenan and chitosan

A polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) was prepared from chitosan (CS) and λ-carrageenan (λ-CAR) using a layer-by-layer deposition of polyion solutions on a plated nonporous support. This material was then used as a multilayer membrane for the pervaporation separation of aqueous ethanol solutions. The fabricated complex film (25-30 μm thick) was a multilayer system (λ-CAR-PEC-CS) containing a polycation CS (MW 3.1 × 105, DDА 0.93), a polyanion λ-CAR (MW 3.5 × 105, extracted from the alga Chondrus armatus), and a PEC layer formed between the two polyion layers. X-ray diffraction indicated a significant structuring of the film in the region of the composite PEC-CS bilayer. The structural and morphological characteristics of the CS surface in the multilayer membrane, as revealed by atomic force microscopy, were close to the characteristics of the dense CS film. However, this structure changed following pervaporation (i.e., the distinct spherical structures on the surface disappeared). Similarly, the initially loose surface of λ-CAR in the composite changed to an ordered domain after pervaporation. The transport properties of the pervaporation membranes were tested by examining the separation of ethanol-water mixtures of different compositions. The flux increased with an increase in the weight percentage of water in the feed mixture, but the separation capacity of the membrane was unchanged. In a range of feed concentrations of 50-94 wt%, the membrane mainly releases water with a corresponding concentration in the permeate of 99.9-99.8 wt% and substantial fluxes of 0.003-1.130 kg m−2 h−1 at 40 °C. The obtained results indicate significant prospects for the use of non-gelling type CARs for the formation of highly effective pervaporation membranes.