Flat film membranes reverse osmosis membranes

The first composite reverse osmosis membrane reported in the technical literature was developed by Peter Francis of North Star Research Institute in 1964 (4). This membrane was formed by float-casting an ultrathin film of cellulose acetate (CA) upon a water surface, removing the membrane from the water surface by lamination onto a pre-formed microporous support film and drying to bond the membrane to the support. This float-casting procedure has since been described in the technical literature for both flat sheet and tubular membranes ( 5, 6, T). 

A decade after Dr. Hassler s efforts, Sidney Loeb and Srinivasa Sourirajan at UCLA attempted an approach to osmosis and reverse osmosis that differed from that of Dr. Hassler. Their approach consisted of pressurizing a solution directly against a flat, plastic film.3 Their work led to the development of the first asymmetric cellulose acetate membrane in 1960 (see Chapter 4.2.1).2 This membrane made RO a commercial viability due to the significantly... 

A decade after Dr. Hassler s efforts, Sidney Loeb and Srinivasa Sourirajan at UCLA attempted an approach to osmosis and reverse osmosis that differed from that of Dr. Hassler. Iheir approach consisted of pressurizing a solution directly against a flat, plastic film. Their work led to the development of the first asymmetric cellulose acetate membrane in 1960 (see Chapter 4.2.1). This membrane made RO a commercial viability due to the significantly improved flux, which was 10 times that of other known membrane materials at the time (such as Reid and Breton s membranes). These membranes were first cast by hand as flat sheets. Continued development in this area led to casting of tubular membranes. Figure 1.3 is a schematic of the tubular casting equipment used by Loeb and Sourirajan. Figure 1.4 shows the capped, in-floor immersion well that was used by Loeb and students and is still located in Boelter Hall at UCLA. 

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