Preparation of fiber core support UHMWPE / SiO 2 composite hollow fiber membrane toward enhancing structure stability and antifouling

The purpose of this study was to reduce the severe shrinkage of the UHMWPE membrane during low-concentration molding processing. In this study, using SiO2 inorganic particles as inner reinforced materials and copper fibers as core support bodies significantly improved the structural stability of the membrane. Compared with the UHMWPE membrane, the shrinkage of the length and diameter of the Cu@UHMWPE/SiO2 membranes decreased by 84% and 61%, respectively, and the pure water flux increased by 322%. Copper fiber as a support material reduced the shrinkage of the membrane and improved pore connectivity. The tensile strength of Cu@UHMWPE/SiO2 was 6.8 MPa. Additionally, the Cu@UHMWPE/SiO2 membrane exerted a better antifouling performance. This study provided a new method to improve the structural stability of the UHMWPE membrane.