Hanieh Karimnezhad - Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Isfahan, P.O. Box ۸۱۷۴۶-۷۳۴۴۱, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
Touraj Tavakoli Gheinani - Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Isfahan, P.O. Box ۸۱۷۴۶-۷۳۴۴۱, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
Amir H. Navarchian - Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Isfahan, P.O. Box ۸۱۷۴۶-۷۳۴۴۱, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
Sirus Zinadini - Water and Wastewater Research Center (WWRC), Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Razi University, P.O. Box ۶۷۱۴۴-۱۴۹۷۱, Kermanshah, I.R. Iran

In this study, the effect of addition of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) with different molecular weights (25000 and 40000 g/mol) during the preparation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes is studied. Morphology, permeated water flux (PWF) and fouling behavior of the prepared membranes were compared with and without PVP addition. By addition of PVP into the PAN casting solutions, systems revealed different membrane morphologies. The membrane casted from a mixture contained PVP with lower molecular weight had better anti-fouling properties. Chemical changes in membrane were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy/attenuated total reflectance (FTIR/ATR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, contact angle (CA), hydrophilicity degree and performance of modified membranes, were also investigated. It was found that the top layer of the membrane and the suppression of macrovoid formation strongly depend on the molecular weight of PVP.

Polyacrylonitrile, Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), Molecular weight, Fouling, Hydrophilicity.