Fabrication of F2.4 porous membrane and preliminary research in membrane distillation

A new asymmetric hydrophobic membrane,composed of the copolymer of polytetra-fluoroethylenme and poly(vinyliden fluoride) (i.e.F2.4),has been fabricated via phase-inversion process.Some physical characteristics,such as mechanical properties and hydrophobicity,have been tested and compared with PVDF membrane.Stretching experimental data indicated that F2.4 membrane was about 6～9 times as large as PVDF membrane in extension ratio and breaking elongation percentage.Contact angle of the former(77.4°) was bigger than that of the latter(66.7°),too.In this paper though membrane distillation flux of F2.4 was lower than that of PVDF under the same situations,F2.4 membrane will be improved by optimizing fabrication condition.