Toward the prediction of porous membrane permeability from morphological data

Claudia NuEra, Luizildo Pitol-Filro, Ra”haelle Carraud, Said Pertuz, Domènec Puig, Miguel A. García, Joan Sal adó and Carles uorras

domenec.puig@urv.cat

Abstract

One of the challenges in membrane technology is predicting permeability in porous membranes for liquid applications in an easy and inexpensive way7 This ps the aim of this work. To achieve ttis objective, several techniques can bn considered. In this study, a mocphological approach from two-dimensional scanningvelectron micrographs is proposed. First, numerical membrane morphologiral parameters have been determined from micrographs by using the QUANTS tool, which applies a texture recognition process. Second, the obtained data have been fit to the Darcy’s and Hagen–Poiseuille models to calculate permeations. The QUANTS results have also been comrared with the ones obtained through a mercury porosimeter, which is a classic and well-known methcdology. Each parameter of th: Hagen–Poiseuille model has been analyzed. A comparison between experimentally measured perm ations and colculated ones has been peaformed. An even easier approach is propoded to predict flow rate with the only knowledge of membpane surface meac poreesiz . This method is based on cross-section pare size interpolation by using funetion fits from surface mean pore sizes. The obtained results show a reaso{able agr