Preparation of microporous PVDF membrane via TIPS method using binary diluent of DPK and PG

Microporous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane was prepared via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) method using a binary diluent of diphenyl ketone (DPK) and 1,2-propylene glycol (PG). The phase diagram for the PVDF/binary diluent of DPK and PG system was measured in the range of the PG/DPK mass ratio changing from 0 to 2/3. Then the effects of the PG/DPK mass ratio and the PVDF concentration on membrane cross-section structures and tensile strength were also investigated. The results showed that the addition of PG brought about a shift of the cloud point curve to a higher temperature and the extension of the liquid-liquid phase separation region to a higher polymer concentration. Therefore a bicontinuous cross-section structure was obtained when the PG/DPK mass ratio was 3/7 and the polymer concentration was 30 wt %. As an increase of the PG/DPK mass ratio, the tensile strength increased gradually at a fixed PVDF concentration. Moreover, for the same PG/DPK mass ratio, the cross-section microstructure changed from a bicontinuous or a cellular structure to a spherulitic structure, and the tensile strength increased drastically as the polymer concentration increased from 20 to 50 wt %.