Improved antifouling properties of PVDF membranes modified with oppositely charged copolymer

Biofouling resulting from the attachment of microorganisms communities to the membrane surface is the major obstacle for the widespread application of membrane technology. This work develops a feasible approach to prepare an anti-biofouling poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane. A copolymer that possessed oppositely charged groups was first synthesized via radical copolymerization with methyl methacrylate, 2-methacryloxy ethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride and 2-acrylamide-2-methyl propane sulphonic acid as monomers. The copolymer was blended with the PVDF powder to prepare the antifouling membrane via the immersed phase inversion method. The antibiofouling properties of the modified PVDF membrane were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, water contact angle measurement, zeta-potential measurement, protein adsorption, microbial adhesion and filtration experiments. The modified PVDF membrane showed limited adsorption and adhesion of protein bovine serum albumin and microbes (Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with increasing copolymer concentration in the casting solution. The modified PVDF membrane exhibited excellent antibiofouling properties.