title: Flux stabilization of silicon nitride microsieves by backpulsing and surface modification with PEG moieties.
abstract: The influence of the surface properties of chemically modified silicon nitride microsieves on the filtration of protein solutions and defatted milk is described in this research. Prior to membrane filtrations, an antifouling polymer based on poly(ethylene glycol), poly(TMSMA-r-PEGMA) was synthesized and applied on silicon-based surfaces like silicon, silicon nitride, and glass. The ability of such coating to repel proteins like bovine serum albumin (BSA) was confirmed by ellipsometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy. In BSA and skimmed milk filtrations no differences could be seen between unmodified and PEG-coated membranes (decreasing permeability in time). On the other hand, reduced fouling was observed with PEG-modified microsieves in combination with backpulsing and air sparging.
authors.affiliation: Membrane Technology Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gironès
authors.forename: L A M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bolhuis-Versteeg
authors.forename: R G H
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Lammertink
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wessling
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D005898:Glass; D008832:Microchemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D012825:Silicon; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds; D014873:Water Pollutants; C503797:poly(polyethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate-co-polyethylene glycol diacrylate); C043886:2-(trimethylsilyl)methyl acetate; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C032734:silicon nitride; D012825:Silicon