Phase-Field Simulation with Semi-Empirical and Effective Parameters in a Case Study from PVA Membrane Syntheses by Phase Separation and Drying Process

Abstract

For material and process design support of porous polymeric membranes synthesized by phase separation and drying process in polymer/solvent/non-solvent systems, a simulation based on phase-field model was performed on the formation of the porous structure in this paper. Although this fabrication process has complicated phenomena including phase separation and drying operation, it was described as the material transfer of each component in a series of operations by simulation using the phase field model with semi-empirical and effective parameters. The simulation results for the formation of skin layer on the membrane surface, which is a problem in preparing separation membranes, has been obtained by analyzing the drying path of the surface. The drying path deeply through the separation concentration region was needed for the porous membrane without the surface skin. This result was in good agreement with the experimental result.