Calculation of the salt separation by negatively charged gel-filled membranes

The salt separations of negatively charged gel-filled membranes composed of poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) gels anchored within a polypropylene microporous substrate have been determined experimentally and modeled theoretically. The separation of these membranes were calculated by both the Teorell, Meyer and Sievers (TMS) model and the Donnan-Steric Pore (DSP) model coupled with the extended Nernst-Planck equation. For modeling, the membrane effective thickness, effective charge density, and pore radius were either directly measured or calculated from theories without the use of fitting procedures. Good agreement between the experimental measurements and the theoretical calculations of salt separation was observed. For the theoretical calculations, the TMS model is suitable for membranes with moderate gel polymer volume fractions, while the DSP model is more suitable for membranes with high gel polymer volume fractions. Moreover, with a calculated constant effective charge density, the salt separation with different salt concentrations could be accurately predicted. The separation of various other salts could also be predicted with good accuracy.