Design of Membrane Materials

Membrane materials are typically divided into two categories: polymer membranes and inorganic (or ceramic) membranes. Each of these categories will be covered in this course unit. The first part will focus on the design of polymer membranes. In this section, we will primarily discuss phase inversion preparation techniques (NIPS, VIPS, TIPS), with an overview of research and innovation (SNIPS, aquaporins, etc.). In addition, we will describe additives (particularly pore-forming agents and hydrophilizing agents), which play an important role in phase inversion approaches, and we will present the various methods for chemically modifying membranes after synthesis. The second part will be devoted to the design of inorganic membranes. In this section, we will present, on the one hand, wet processes—namely the main methods for depositing liquid films (dip-coating, spin-coating, spraying, tape-casting, screen printing) and deposition from solutions (electrolytic or chemical processes) or suspensions (electrophoresis, Langmuir-Blodgett), and, second, dry processes (PVD techniques [evaporation and sputtering], CVD techniques [thermal, PECVD, and ALD], MBE, and surface treatment). Finally, to illustrate these two families of membranes, we will discuss case studies on membrane applications, particularly in the field of packaging.

Hourly volumes*:

            CM: 11:00 a.m.

            TD: 9 a.m.

The objective of this course unit is to build on students’ knowledge of polymeric and inorganic materials with a view to preparing membranes with specific functionalities (thin-film geometry, trade-offs between chemistry and texture for optimal management of the permeability/selectivity functional duality). Upon completion of this course unit, students should be able to select a preparation process suited to a target membrane function and master the parameters of that process.

Macromolecular chemistry / polymer materials, inorganic chemistry / inorganic materials

Solutions, Colloids, Interfaces

Final Exam (100%)

Polymer membranes, Inorganic membranes, Phase inversion processes, Ceramic processes (including additive approaches), Dry deposition processes, Chemical modification

Administrative contact(s):

Master's in Chemistry Office

https://master-chimie.edu.umontpellier.fr/