Vapor-induced phase separation technique

Asymmetric membranes are usually produced by phase inversion techniques. In these techniques, an initially homogeneous polymer solution becomes thermodynamically unstable due to different external effects and the phase separates into polymer-lean and polymer-rich phases. The polymer-rich phase forms the matrix of the membrane, while the polymer-lean phase, rich in solvents and nonsolvents, fills the pores. Four main techniques exist to induce phase inversion and thus to prepare asymmetric porous membranes [85] (a) thermally induced phase separation (TIPS), (b) immersion precipitation (wet casting), (c) vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS), and (d) dry (air) casting. 

Phase inversion is known to be an effective way to create porous structures in membranes, where a competitive mutual diffusion between solvent and nonsolvent occurs to yield the porous structure. Phase inversion can be described as a demixing process whereby the initially homogeneous polymer solution is transformed in a controlled manner from a liquid to a solid state [24]. Apart from immersion in a nonsolvent bath, or immersion precipitation (IP), a variety of related techniques, such as precipitation by solvent evaporation, precipitation by absorption of water Irom the vapor phase, and precipitation by air cooling, corresponding to thermally induced phase separation (TIPS), vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS), and air-casting phase separation... 

While the unit operation evaporation, that is, the mass transfer from the liquid phase to the vapor phase, still possesses a direct connection with vacuum techniques, the connection of today s single mass crystallization from solution with vacuum techniques is only indirect. The techniques of vacuum cooling and vacuum evaporation are only the mostly used means for inducing the crystallization process. The reason for the dominant position of vacuum crystallization over classical surface cooling crystallization is the considerably reduced inclination to form incrustations. Vacuum crystallization is used in the low vacuum field down to 1 mbar. There are also applications in the overpressure field, although with increasing pressure the number of applications is reduced. In vacuum crystallization, one can find all the classical process control options used in the more familiar vacuum evaporation processes. However, an important difference to evaporation is the fact that the separation process is not concluded with the crystallization step. The suspension formed still has to be separated into crystal mass and mother liquor. Crystallization is therefore always associated with a mechanical separation process. The better this separation, the greater the purity of the crystallized masses. 

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