Preparation of TiO₂/PVDF ultrafiltration membrane

A novel ultrafiltration (UF) membrane comprised of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and TiO₂ nanoparticles was prepared by phase inversion techniques. The TiO₂/PVDF membrane as well as the neat one was characterized through pure water permeability measurements and UF tests with a dilute solution of blood serum albumin (BSA). The fouling tendency of the membranes was measured from the relative reduction in pure water permeability before and after UF. The prepared sample membranes were analyzed with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Although the hydrophilicity and the retention coefficient of the TiO₂/PVDF membrane were not improved remarkably as compared with the neat one, its fouling resistance was increased by 21.1%. In addition, its mean pore size and surface roughness were less. Enwrapped in PVDF molecules, TiO₂ nanoparticles influence the crystallization of PVDF macromolecule chain segments. Thus it improves the performance and surface topography of the neat PVDF membrane.