Effect of Surface Modification on Ionic Permeability Across Cellophane Membrane

Cellophane membrane is used for different kinds of membranes and separators because of its advantages. Regenerated cellulose is a hydrophilic membrane; however, it cannot dissolve in water. The operation time of cellophane membrane is short because of the hydrolytic cleavage during the operation. In this study, cellophane membrane was treated by epichlorohydrin. As a result, the surface of the cellophane membrane was changed chemically and morphologically. These changes were investigated by means of FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy, and also the surface properties were studied by contact angle and water absorption. In addition to, hydrolysis behavior, oxidative resistance, and salt permeability were measured. Meanwhile, thermal stability and tensile strength were done on modified and unmodified membrane. The modified membrane is more resistant against the hydrolytic and oxidative cleavage than the unmodified membrane. Salt permeabilitys were increased after treatment. Modification causes to increase thermal stability and tensile strength of the untreated cellophane membrane. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 118: 1-6, 2010