This presentation will describe the synthesis of new synthetic polymers, termed �PC-polyolefins�, that prove very well-suited to implementation as coatings in water purification membranes.  This coating method proved effective for reducing fouling on both ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes subjected to emulsified oil foulants.  The methods we have developed for coating membranes provide a route towards achieving low fouling, as well as for maintaining high rejection of organic material and salt.  Commercial membranes that were either uncoated, or coated with PC-polyolefins, were tested by cross-flow, operating at constant trans-membrane pressure difference.  For RO membranes, the PC-polymer coating greatly reduced fouling relative to the rapidly fouling uncoated control membranes, such that the coated and uncoated membranes exhibited dramatically different end-fluxes, after ~24 hours, of 20 and <1 L-m2/h.

Fouling-resistant coatings from phosphorylcholine-substituted polyolefins prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization

244th National Meeting (2012)

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