Low-cost antifouling PVC ultrafiltration membrane fabrication with Pluronic F 127: Effect of additives on properties and performance

To fabricate low-cost hydrophilic and antifouling ultrafiltration membranes, in this work, we tuned the membrane surface hydrophilicity and porosity by adding different amounts of the amphiphilic copolymer (Pluronic F 127) into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) casting solution. The modified PVC membrane characteristics including oxygen content, morphology and pore size, surface roughness, hydrophilicity, and permeability were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), contact angle measurement, and flux measurements. With the increase of Pluronic F 127 content from 0 to 10 wt.%, the oxygen content on the membrane surface increased and then reached an asymptote when 8 wt.% or greater Pluronic F 127 was used; the pore size and the pore density both decreased; the membrane surface became more hydrophilic as indicated by the decreasing contact angles; and the flux declined by 30% when Pluronic F 127 reached 10 wt.%. Overall, the modified PVC membrane exhibited excellent antifouling feature even with Pluronic F 127 as low as 2 wt.%. Due to the membrane flux decline at 10 wt.% Pluronic F 127, the optimal addition of Pluronic F 127 was 8 wt.%, which maintained the antifouling feature and high flux.

► Low‐cost, hydrophilic and antifouling PVC membrane fabrication method was studied. ► Addition of Pluronic F 127 increased hydrophilicity of the membrane surface. ► Addition of Pluronic F 127 decreased the pore size and the pore density. ► The flux declined by 30% when Pluronic F 127 reached 10 wt.%. ► Optimal Pluronic F 127 addition was 8 wt.%.