Abstract
Membrane properties such as porosity and surface morphology significantly affect fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Amphiphilic Pluronic block–copolymers have attracted attention in recent years as their use during membrane preparation has resulted in improved membrane properties. This study focused on establishing a technique to improve membrane properties by adding Pluronic TR–702 to prepare a chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (CPVC) flat–sheet membrane suitable for use in an MBR. Deterioration of Pluronic TR–702 was expected during long–term MBR applications. Therefore, Pluronic TR–702 was removed from the membranes prior to evaluation. The influence of the additive on the membrane thickness, pure water permeability, pore size and distribution, surface morphology, and surface porosity was investigated. Excessive addition of Pluronic TR–702 to the dope solution led to the preparation of membranes with larger pore sizes that were unsuitable for MBR. On the other hand, appropriate addition increased the pore size and thickness of the membranes and decreased the surface porosity with increasing additive content. When the concentration of Pluronic TR–702 was 50 wt/wt%, the membrane with the suitable pore size for the use in MBR was prepared. This method is a useful technique for improving the properties of membranes used for MBRs.
