Effect of swelling in non-aqueous nanofiltration with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes

Transport mechanisms and process limitations are relatively well understood for aqueous nanofiltration systems. Much work has also been done on the use of membranes for the removal of suspended matter from organic solvents. The removal of organic solute compounds from organic solvents using membrane technology has been addressed by very few workers, and little is known of the fundamental transport and separation mechanisms. A dense polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite membrane was used to assess the flux and separation performance of a range of organic solute compounds and organic solvents. Solvent flux was modelled with the Hagen- Poisuelle equation and found to fit the model well, with swelling effects being the most likely cause of some deviations. The effect of solvent type and membrane swelling on solute rejection will be discussed.