The layering and subsequent patterning of electrospun polymer matts to improve membrane properties Graham Reid 1,2 , Jessica McFadden 2 , Mark Allen 2 , Sorcha Daly 3 , Eoin Casey 3 , Susan M. Kelleher 1,2
1 School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Ireland 2 School of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Ireland
3 School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Ireland One of the main applications of membrane technology is water treatment due to its high removal efficiency and cost-effectiveness.1 Polymeric membranes can be fabricated using a range of techniques including simple stretching, phase inversion, and electrospinning. One of the main issues in membrane technology is their mechanical strength and antibiofouling capabilities.2 Our group is interested in producing electro-spun polymeric fibre mats that can be layered together to improve strength, while still maintaining membrane function. Polysulfone (PSF) offers excellent physiochemical properties, including thermal stability, chemical resistance to many solvents and mechanical strength, thus, making it a favourable polymer choice for membrane production.1 Electrospinning was explored as a technique to create sheets of PSF fibres with average fibre diameters in the region of 750 nm. Membranes were stacked and compressed using a benchtop hydraulic press to form multi- layered membranes of varying densities. Characterisation of our membranes was achieved using SEM, FT-IR, and water contact angle (WCA) measurements, along with swelling studies. Membranes were tested for their water flux, as well as their ability to reject various sizes of polystyrene beads to determine the selectivity of the membranes. Our results show that our 12 layered membranes offered a 98% rejection of 2.1 µm beads, placing them into the category of microfiltration membranes. It is well known that surface topography can affect the adherence of cells to surfaces, and in some cases, nanopatterns can kill bacterial cells that come into contact with the surface structures.3 To improve the antibiofouling capabilities of our membranes, we have embossed the top layer with a micropattern under controlled pressure and temperature. Testing of the membranes is currently being carried out to find if there is a reduction in biofouling compared to non-patterned membranes. References 1. Tiron L, Pintile Ș, Vlad M, Birsan I, Baltă Ș. Characterization of Polysulfone Membranes Prepared with Thermally Induced Phase Separation Technique Characterization of Polysulfone Membranes Prepared with. Mater Sci Eng. 2017;209:1-6. doi:10.1088/1757-899X/209/1/012013 2. Muralidhara HS. Challenges of Membrane Technology in the XXI Century. First Edition. Elsevier Ltd; 2010. doi:10.1016/ B978-1-85617-632-3.00002-1 3. Damodaran VB, Murthy NS. Bio-inspired strategies for designing antifouling biomaterials. Biomater Res. Published online 2016:1-11. doi:10.1186/s40824-016-0064-4
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