Membrane morphology

In preparation of permselective hoUow-fiber membranes, morphology must be controUed to obtain desired mechanical and transport properties. Fiber fabrication is performed without a casting surface. Therefore, in the moving, unsupported thread line, the nascent hoUow-fiber membrane must estabUsh mechanical integrity in a very short time. 

Membrane Morphology—Pores, Symmetric, Composite Only nucleopore and anodyne membranes have relatively uniform pores. Reverse osmosis, gas permeation, and pervaporation membranes have nonuniform angstrom-sized pores corresponding to spaces in between the rigid or agamic membrane molecules. Solute-membrane molecular interactions are very high. Ultrafiltration membranes have nonuniform nanometer sized pores with some solute-membrane interactions. For other microfiltration membranes with nonuniform pores on the submicrometer to micrometer range, solute-membrane interactions are small. 

Siu, A. 2007. Influence of water and membrane morphology on the transport properties of polymers for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Ph. D. Dissertation, Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University. 

For instance, the Dow experimental membrane and the recently introduced Hyflon Ion E83 membrane by Solvay-Solexis are "short side chain" (SSC) fluoropolymers, which exhibit increased water uptake, significantly enhanced proton conductivity, and better stability at T > 100°C due to higher glass transition temperatures in comparison to Nafion. The membrane morphology and the basic mechanisms of proton transport are, however, similar for all PFSA ionomers mentioned. The base polymer of Nation, depicted schematically in Figure 6.3, consists of a copolymer of tetrafluoro-ethylene, forming the backbone, and randomly attached pendant side chains of perfluorinated vinyl ethers, terminated by sulfonic acid head groups. °... 

Schematic depiction of the structural evolution of polymer electrolyte membranes. The primary chemical structure of the Nafion-type ionomer on the left with hydrophobic backbone, side chains, and acid head groups evolves into polymeric aggregates with complex interfacial structure (middle). Randomly interconnected phases of these aggregates and water-filled voids between them form the heterogeneous membrane morphology at the macroscopic scale (right).

Paddison and Elliott concluded that the conformation of fhe backbone, fhe side chain flexibilify, and fhe degree of associafion and aggregation of fhe side chains under low hydration defermine fhe formafion of protonic species (Zundel and/or Eigen ions)/ These calculations for single ionomer chains do not account for ionomer aggregafion. Therefore, fhey insufficienfly represent the membrane morphology and correlation effects between backbones, side chains, protons, and water. 

Coverage of thermal, chemical, surface, and mechanical properties of inorganic membranes includes discussion of pore diameter, thickness, and membrane morphology. You ll gain valuable insights into membrane modification, as well as the design and operation of membrane filtration units. 

Thorough analysis and evaluation of membrane morphology is mandatory for the understanding of transport phenomena in membranes, and es pecially for those with rather complex structures, as described in the present manuscript. Each single membrane can be viewed perhaps as a "black box" when operating in a certain well-defined system. Yet, any deduction on transport mechanism that is based solely on transport data is highly speculative. For example, the presence of a double skin, macrovoids, the densifica-tion of the nodular layer, and other items described herein cannot be predicted by the analysis of transport data. But they can be identified, and can be very supportive to "whoever dares to look into the black box."... 

Membrane morphology is studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) thereby providing an Insight into the relationship between asymmetric membrane preparation, structure, and performance (29,3A). The extent of ion exchange of the salt form of the SPSF membranes is studied with atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), neutron activation analysis (NAA), and ESCA. AAS is used for solution analysis, NAA for the bulk membrane analysis, and ESCA for the surface analysis. 

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an extensive closed membrane system consisting of tubular and saccular structures. In the area of the nucleus, the ER turns into the external nuclear membrane. Morphologically, a distinction is made between the rough ER (rER) and the smooth ER (sER). Large numbers of ribosomes are found on the membranes of the rER, which are lacking on the sER. On the other hand, the sER is rich in membrane-bound enzymes, which catalyze partial reactions in the lipid metabolism as well as biotransformations. 

Song J, Cheng Q, Kopta S, Stevens RC. Modulating artificial membrane morphology pH-induced chromatic transition and nanostructural transformation of a bolaamphiphilic conjugated polymer from blue helical ribbons to red nanofibers. J Am Chem Soc... 

The transport properties across an MIP membrane are controlled by both a sieving effect due to the membrane pore structure and a selective absorption effect due to the imprinted cavities [199, 200]. Therefore, different selective transport mechanisms across MIP membranes could be distinguished according to the porous structure of the polymeric material. Meso- and microporous imprinted membranes facilitate template transport through the membrane, in that preferential absorption of the template promotes its diffusion, whereas macroporous membranes act rather as membrane absorbers, in which selective template binding causes a diffusion delay. As a consequence, the separation performance depends not only on the efficiency of molecular recognition but also on the membrane morphology, especially on the barrier pore size and the thickness of the membrane. 

The AFM equipments used were conducted with a Nanoscope III device from VEECO (USA). The membrane morphologies were imaged in contact mode in air with a scan rate of 1 Hz and 400 x 400-pixel resolution. The cantilevers used for such imaging were from Veeco, with a specified spring constant between 0.44 and 0.63 Nm-1 and a resonant frequency of 17-20 kHz. The mean roughness (denoted Ra) is the mean value of surface relative to the centre plane. The plane for which the volume enclosed by the image above and below this plane are equal and is calculated as... 

As it is well known [36,37], the natural lipid/protein mixtures (such as amniotic fluid) can undergo different phase transitions due to variation in temperature or composition. Of special importance for the natural bilayer lipid membranes is the so-called main phase transition between the lipid crystalline and gel states at which a melting of the hydrocarbon tails of the lipid molecules occurs. For example, it has been demonstrated [36] that there exists an upper limit of the gel phase content in membranes above which the membrane morphology and permeability change dramatically thus making the execution of the physiological functions of the membrane impossible. 

Clearly, a fundamental understanding of the key strac-ture/property relationships, particularly membrane morphology and conductivity as a function of polymer electrolyte architecture and water content - both in the bulk hydrated membrane and at the various interfaces within the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), can provide guidance in the synthesis of novel materials or MEA manufacturing techniques that lead to the improvement in the efficiency and/or operating range of PEMFCs. 

Membrane morphology and, in the case of porous membranes, pore size and orientation and porosity are vital to the separation properties of inorganic membranes. As the general characterization techniques evolve, the understanding of these miciostnictures improves. 

Microscopic methods. While microscopic methods provide direct visual information on membrane morphology as discussed earlier, determination of pore size, especially meaningful pore size distribution, by this type of methods is tedious and difficult. Advances have been made on the electron microscopy techniques to visualize membrane surface pores. For example, Merin and Cheryan [1980] have developed a replica-TEM technique to observe membrane surface pores. Nevertheless, microscopic methods have remained primarily as a surface morphology characterization tool and not as a pore size determination scheme. 

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