Cake models applied to evaluate the fouling mechanism in separation of anionic polyacrylamide using modified PVDF ultrafiltration membranes

In the present study,nano-sized TiO2 /Al2O3 modified PVDF membranes (MM) were fabricated and utilized for anionic polyacrylamide ( APAM) separation. The results showed that,compared with PVDF membrane (OM) ,the contact angle of MM decreases from 83. 64° to 67. 42°,which indicates the increase of the hydrophilicity of MM. The relative flux (RF) decline curve of this ultrafiltration of APAM in water with time shows an obvious two stage properties. The cake filtration models were used to predict the performance of different time over the complete range of filtration times. All the four cake models could simulate this UF process to a certain extent,and the suitability of the two kinds of membranes was: cake filtration > intermediate pore blocking > standard pore blocking > complete pore blocking models. However,they became more and more unsuited to this process with time extending. Surface and cross-sectional morphology of membrane was investigated by SEM to make an advanced certificate of this UF mechanism.