U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science: Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Membrane Development via (TIPS) Thermally Induced Phase Separation

该奖项支持德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的Douglas Lloyd教授和日本京都理工学院的Hideto Matsuyama教授之间为期三年的合作研究项目。研究人员将通过热诱导相分离(TIPS)对亲水/疏水膜的发展进行研究。在聚合物相分离体系的热力学方面，人们已经做了大量有价值的研究。然而，需要更彻底地了解相分离和结构发展的动力学，才能完整地描绘出这幅图，并使膜制造商能够控制膜的多孔特性。具体目标是：1)进行膜结构形成的动力学研究；2)使用TIPS与各种共聚物和稀释剂形成一系列膜；以及3)测量通量和溶质截留率等性能参数。该项目汇集了两个拥有互补专业知识和研究能力的实验室的努力。美国科学家在膜形成和结构发展动力学方面有相当的专业知识，日本研究人员在膜表征技术方面掌握得更多，特别是在污染和蛋白质吸附方面。此外，美国小组拥有光学显微镜设备进行一些动力学实验，日本小组拥有光散射设备，将研究扩展到相分离过程中较小区域和较早时间的范围。预计这项研究的结果将使膜制造商能够控制膜的微结构(即预尺寸和孔径分布)。通过思想和技术的交流，这个项目将扩大我们的基础知识基础，促进国际理解与合作。该项目通过一名研究生的参与促进国际人力资源的发展。研究人员计划通过开放文献、在专业学会会议上的口头陈述和劳埃德教授的网站向膜科学家提供他们的研究成果。

0140603LloydThis award supports a three-year collaborative research project between Professor Douglas Lloyd at the University of Texas, Austin and Professor Hideto Matsuyama of the Kyoto Institute of Technology in Japan. The researchers will undertake a study of hydrophilic/hydrophobic membrane development via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). A great deal of valuable research has been done on the thermodynamics of polymer systems that undergo phase separation. However, a more thorough understanding of the kinetics of phase separation and structure development is necessary to complete the picture and allow membrane manufactures to control the porous characteristics of the membranes. Specific goals are to: 1) conduct kinetics studies of membrane structure formation; 2) to form a series of membranes using TIPS with various copolymers and diluents; and 3) to measure performance parameters such as flux and solute rejection. The project brings together the efforts of two laboratories that have complementary expertise and research capabilities. The U.S. scientists have considerable expertise in membrane formation and the kinetics of structure development and the Japanese researchers have a greater mastery of membrane characterization techniques, especially in terms of fouling and protein adsorption. In addition, the U.S. group has the optical microscopy equipment to do some of the kinetics experiments and the Japanese group has the light scattering equipment to extend the studies into the range of smaller domains and earlier times in the phase separation process. It is anticipated that the results of this research will enable membrane manufactures to control the microstructure of the membranes (that is, pre size and pore size distribution). Through the exchange of ideas and technology, this project will broaden our base of basic knowledge and promote international understanding and cooperation. The project advances international human resources through the participation of a graduate student. The researchers plan to make their research results available to membrane scientists through the open literature, oral presentations at meetings of professional society meetings, and Professor Lloyd's web site.