title: Temperature-modulated water filtration using microgel-functionalized hollow-fiber membranes.
abstract: In the present work, we investigate the potential of aqueous polymer microgels in membrane technology, especially for filtration applications. The poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)-based microgels exhibit thermoresponsive behavior and were employed to coat hollow-fiber membranes used for micro- and ultrafiltration. We discuss the preparation of microgel-modified membranes (by "inside-out" as well as "outside-in" filtration in dead-end mode). The clean-water permeability and stability of these membranes was studied not only as a function of time, but also of temperature. The microgel-modified membranes exhibit a reversible thermoresponsive behavior whereby both the resistance and the retention increased with decreasing temperature.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Process Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Turmstrasse 46, 52064 Aachen (Germany) http://www.avt.rwth-aachen.de.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menne
authors.forename: Fee
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pitsch
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Andrij
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pich
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wessling
keywords: dynamic adsorption; hollow-fiber membranes; thermoresponsive microgels; ultrafiltration membranes