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Abstract: Track-etched polyethylene terephthalate (TE-PET) membranes, characterized by their well-defined cylindrical pores and narrow pore size distribution, offer advantages in filtration applications but demonstrate a gradual decrease of water flux over time. In this work, we evaluate the performance of track-etched polyethylene terephthalate (TE-PET) membranes as microfilters in low-pressure cross-flow and dead-end filtration systems. Membranes with pore sizes between 0.2 and 2.5 μm and porosities of 0.2–20% were tested at different low pressures (0.02–10 bar). Monitoring water flux over time exhibited a significant reduction. This behaviour is attributed to polymer swelling within the pore walls due to the formation of a sol-gel film. Notably, this swelling is enhanced under dynamic flow conditions, with larger pores exhibiting more rapid and pronounced flux decline. When filtering organic solvents, the flux drop is less pronounced and depends on their viscosity and polarity. Surface characterization by atomic force microscopy further confirmed morphological changes in TE-PET support after water filtration. Additional contributing factors, such as fouling and compaction, are also discussed.
Keywords: track-etched support, polyethylene terephthalate, water filtration, swelling, sol-gel film, carbon nanomembrane
Published in DKUM: 13.06.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 5
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