A Novel Dual Layered Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic Composite Tri-bore Hollow Fibre Membrane for Vacuum Membrane Distillation-Preparation and Evaluation

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was used to create microporous, hydrophobic/hydrophilic dual-layer, tri-bore hollow fiber membranes under various operating conditions and with various polymeric dope compositions. Nanoparticles of silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide were added to both the outer and interior layers. To produce fibers with various morphologies, the concentration of SiO2 nano powder in the inner dope solution was changed. The created membranes were examined under a microscope to determine their shape, level of roughness (AFM), contact angle, and mechanical characteristics. The produced membrane's suitability for vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) is assessed. This study aims to relate the polymeric dope composition and spinning conditions to the preparation parameters, namely the hydrophobic/hydrophilic tri-bore hollow fiber membrane flux.

Automated summary

Micro-porous, hydrophobic/hydrophilic dual-layer, tri-bore hollow fiber membranes were created using PVDF under various operating conditions and polymeric dope compositions, with nanoparticles added for morphological diversity. The study aimed to assess the membranes' suitability for vacuum membrane distillation.