P. Salimi - Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
A. Aroujalian - Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
D. Iranshahi - Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

This article presents the effect of triethylene glycol (TEG) as non-solvent on the physical microstructure, chemical properties and separation performance of polyethersulfone (PES) membranes. The investigated membrane characteristics include surface morphology and cross sectional structure (by SEM sectional images), surface chemistry (by FTIR spectroscopy). The performance of prepared membranes were examined through cross-flow filtration tests using oil/water solution as the model system. Adding TEG to the casting solution leads to produced membranes with high porosity. In the present work, four casting solutions with different DMF/TEG ratio were prepared. The SEM results showed that fabricated membranes have a thin selective top layer and finger-like substructures. The obtained membranes were used for treatment of a synthetic oily wastewater. Increasing of TEG content as pore former in casting dope solution leads to a high flux of 189.6 L/m2 h and high oil rejection and play an important role in the membrane structure and performance.

Ultrafiltration membrane, Membrane preparation, Poly(ethersulfone),Triethyleneglycol