Preparation of ECTFE Porous Membrane for Dehumidification of Gaseous Streams through Membrane Condenser

Due to the good hydrophobicity and chemical resistance of poly(ethylene trifluoroethylene) (ECTFE), it has been an attractive potential material for microfiltration, membrane distillation and more. However, few porous hydrophobic ECTFE membranes were prepared by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) for membrane condenser applications. In this work, the diluent, di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), was selected to prepare the dope solutions. The calculated Hassen solubility parameter indicated that ECTFE has good compatibility with DnOP. The corresponding thermodynamic phase diagram was established, and it has been mutually verified with the bi-continuous structure observed in the SEM images. At 30 wt% ECTFE, the surface contact angle and liquid entry pressure reach their maximum values of 139.5° and 0.71 MPa, respectively. In addition, some other basic membrane properties, such as pore size, porosity, and mechanical properties, were determined. Finally, the prepared ECTFE membranes were tested using a homemade membrane condenser setup. When the polymer content is 30 wt%, the corresponding results are better; the water recovery and condensed water yield is 17.6% and 1.86 kg m−2 h−1, respectively.

Study on Influence of Surface Plasma Activation of Quartz Fiber/Cyanate Ester Composite at Meter Range Working Distance

The surface of quartz fiber/cyanate ester composite at meter working distance was activated by plasma treatment technology. Influence of plasma treatment parameters on surface contact angle of the composite was investigated, as well as changes of surface morphology, intrinsic performance and membrane-based bonding strength. Results showed that surface contact angle of the composite decreased significantly after plasma treatment with nitrogen and argon. Moreover, activation effect of argon plasma was better than that of nitrogen plasma. With the increase of voltage, surface contact angle of composite became smaller and activation effect was better. After plasma treatment, glass transition temperature (Tg) and bending strength of the composite did not change, and intrinsic property of the composite was not damaged. After plasma treatment, surface roughness and specific surface area of the composite increased, and membrane-based bonding strength of the composite with Al coating increased significantly.

Comparative Study on Water Vapour Resistance of Poly(Lactic Acid) Films Prepared by Blending, Filling and Surface Deposit

The polylactic acid (PLA) resin Ingeo 4032D was selected as the research object, with a focus on PLA modification by using polymers such as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and ethylene–propylene-diene monomer grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (EPDM-g-GMA), by using fillers such as nano calcium carbonate and zeolite. In order to characterize the deposition effect of Al2O3 on the film surface by plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition, Bio-oriented PLA (BOPLA) with more uniform thickness than blown film was purchased for study. The mechanical properties, friction coefficient, surface contact angle and water vapour transmission rate of the modified PLA film were compared and discussed. The aim was to find out the most influencing factors of film’s water vapour resistance.

New Approaches to Increasing the Superhydrophobicity of Coatings Based on ZnO and TiO2

The work presented is devoted to new approaches to increasing the superhydrophobic properties of coatings based on zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2). There is an innovation in the use of inorganic coatings with a non-polar structure, high melting point, and good adhesion to ZnO, in contrast to the traditionally used polymer coatings with low performance characteristics. The maximum superhydrophobicity of the ZnO surface (contact angle of 173°) is achieved after coating with a layer of hematite (Fe2O3). The reason for the abnormally high hydrophobicity is a combination of factors: minimization of the area of contact with water (Cassie state) and the specific microstructure of a coating with a layer of non-polar Fe2O3. It was shown that the coating of ZnO structures with bimodal roughness with a gold (Au) layer that is 60-nm thick leads to an increase in the wetting contact angle from 145° to 168°. For clean surfaces of Au and hematite Fe2O3 films, the contact angle wets at no more than 70°. In the case of titanium oxide coatings, what is new lies in the method of controlled synthesis of a coating with a given crystal structure and a level of doping with nitrogen using plasma technologies. It has been shown that the use of nitrogen plasma in an open atmosphere with different compositions (molecular, atomic) makes it possible to obtain both a hydrophilic (contact angle of 73°) and a highly hydrophobic surface (contact angle of 150°).

Preparation and Physicochemical Properties of Tannin-Immobilized Membrane Adsorbent

Plant tannins have the ability to form stable complexes with metal ions, while microporous membranes have low pressure drop and high flux characteristics. Combining these two materials, a new type of tannin-immobilized membrane (M-TAN) adsorption material has been developed. The PA-BWT, PVDF-BWT, CELL -BWT, and PA-AA-BWT were prepared using different types of microporous membranes as substrates, which maintained the porous structure of the membranes and had the characteristics of high flux and fast filtration rate. The surface contact angle and pure water flux analysis showed that the introduction of tannin with multi-phenolic hydroxyl groups increased the hydrophilicity and water flux of the M-TANs. The adsorption performance shows that the adsorption capacity of four kinds of M-TANs for UO22+ is in the order of PA-BWT > PA-AA-BWT > PVDF-BWT > CELL-BWT, and PA-BWT has the largest adsorption capacity of 0.398 mmol g−1. In addition, the adsorption isothermal and kinetic data of PA-BWT were well fitted by the Langmuir equation and the Elovich model, respectively. The negative values of ΔG for UO22+ adsorption on PA-BWT indicated that adsorption is a spontaneous and favorable process. These facts indicate that PA-BWT can be used as a low-cost adsorbent for effective removal of UO22+ from aqueous solutions.

Radiation-induced Surface Wettability Enhancement of an Indium Tin Oxide and Titanium Oxide Film-Coated Sapphire

Surface wettability is an important parameter that affects nucleate boiling. Irradiation can alter the surface wettability on metal surfaces without altering the surface macrostructure. However, the wettability characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) and TiO2 film-coated sapphire substrates remain unknown. We experimentally investigated the gamma-ray and electron beam irradiation effect on such surfaces. A sapphire plate was exposed to gamma rays and electron beams. Within the irradiation dose, no evident change in the sapphire surface color was found. The surface contact angle decreased after irradiation, and surface wettability was enhanced with more irradiation. After irradiation, the contact angle recovered with time. The related mechanism is possible due to the absorption/desorption of hydroxyl groups. Our results indicate that the irradiation method can be used in ITO film-coated sapphire experiments to study nucleate boiling.

A Study on the Flow Characteristics of Copper Heavy Metal Microfluidics with Hydrophobic Coating and pH Change

The present study purpose was to identify the flow characteristics of the drainage filter considering the characteristics of the landfill site, and to study the basic technology for efficient remediation of heavy metals. To this end, copper heavy metal was selected in consideration of landfill characteristics, and a study on flow characteristics was conducted using hydrophobic coated capillary tubes and microparticles. It was confirmed that the flow rate decreased as the pH increased at the hydrophobic surface, and pH 4, 6, and 8 flowed similarly in the center of the capillary tube, but decreased at pH 10. In the bottom part, it moved at the slowest speed of 1~4 μm/s and middle of center moved 17~25 μm/s. There was little change in flow in the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) numerical analysis considering the surface contact angle, which is a hydrophobic characteristic, and the velocity coefficient was presented by regression analysis through the experimental results. In this way, the current study will be a basic examination of the selective remediation process of pH on hydrophobic coated surfaces.

Study on the Superhydrophobic Properties of an Epoxy Resin-Hydrogenated Silicone Oil Bulk Material Prepared by Sol-Gel Methods

A superhydrophobic material was prepared by a simple and easily accessed sol-gel method using epoxy resin (E-51) and γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH-550) as the precursors, aqueous ammonia (NH4OH) as the catalyst and hydrogenated silicone oil (PMHS) as the hydrophobic modifier, and then pelleting the final product. The morphologies, surface chemical properties and thermal stability of the superhydrophobic bulk materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier infrared spectrometry and thermal analyzer. The hydrophobic properties and repairability of the as-prepared materials were also studied. The results showed that the prepared epoxy resin-hydrogenated silicone oil bulk materials were composed of tightly bound nanoparticles with a size of 50–100 nm in diameter. The material showed excellent superhydrophobic properties with a surface contact angle of 152°. The material also had good thermal resistance with a heat-resistant temperature of 300 °C and showed good repairability. The epoxy resin-hydrogenated silicone oil bulk superhydrophobic material exhibited excellent performance and showed wide application prospects.