Visualisation of an ultrafiltration membrane by non-contact atomic force microscopy at single pore resolution

W. Richard Bowen; Nidal Hilal; Robert W. Lovitt; Peter M. Williams

doi:10.1016/0376-7388(95)00262-6

Visualisation of an ultrafiltration membrane by non-contact atomic force microscopy at single pore resolution

W. Richard Bowen, Nidal Hilal, Robert W. Lovitt, Peter M. Williams

Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to investigate the surface pore structure of a polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane of specified molecular weight cut off (MWCO) 25 000 (ES625, PCI Membrane Systems). Excellent images at up to single pore resolution were obtained. This is the first time that AFM images of a membrane at such high resolution have been presented. Analysis of the images gave a mean pore size of 5.1 nm with a standard deviation of 1.1 nm. The results have been compared to previously published studies of membranes of comparable MWCO using contact AFM and electron microscopy. Non-contact AFM is a powerful means of studying the surface pore characteristics of ultrafiltration membranes.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	229-232
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of Membrane Science
Volume	110
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0376-7388(95)00262-6
State	Published - Feb 21 1996

Keywords

Atomic force microscopy
Pore size distribution
Ultrafiltration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biochemistry
General Materials Science
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Filtration and Separation

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10.1016/0376-7388(95)00262-6

Cite this

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title = "Visualisation of an ultrafiltration membrane by non-contact atomic force microscopy at single pore resolution",

abstract = "Non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to investigate the surface pore structure of a polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane of specified molecular weight cut off (MWCO) 25 000 (ES625, PCI Membrane Systems). Excellent images at up to single pore resolution were obtained. This is the first time that AFM images of a membrane at such high resolution have been presented. Analysis of the images gave a mean pore size of 5.1 nm with a standard deviation of 1.1 nm. The results have been compared to previously published studies of membranes of comparable MWCO using contact AFM and electron microscopy. Non-contact AFM is a powerful means of studying the surface pore characteristics of ultrafiltration membranes.",

keywords = "Atomic force microscopy, Pore size distribution, Ultrafiltration",

author = "Bowen, {W. Richard} and Nidal Hilal and Lovitt, {Robert W.} and Williams, {Peter M.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council for funding this work. We thank PCI Membrane Systems (Alan Merry and Martin Peer) for the donation of the membrane.",

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AU - Hilal, Nidal

AU - Lovitt, Robert W.

AU - Williams, Peter M.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council for funding this work. We thank PCI Membrane Systems (Alan Merry and Martin Peer) for the donation of the membrane.

PY - 1996/2/21

Y1 - 1996/2/21

N2 - Non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to investigate the surface pore structure of a polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane of specified molecular weight cut off (MWCO) 25 000 (ES625, PCI Membrane Systems). Excellent images at up to single pore resolution were obtained. This is the first time that AFM images of a membrane at such high resolution have been presented. Analysis of the images gave a mean pore size of 5.1 nm with a standard deviation of 1.1 nm. The results have been compared to previously published studies of membranes of comparable MWCO using contact AFM and electron microscopy. Non-contact AFM is a powerful means of studying the surface pore characteristics of ultrafiltration membranes.

AB - Non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to investigate the surface pore structure of a polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane of specified molecular weight cut off (MWCO) 25 000 (ES625, PCI Membrane Systems). Excellent images at up to single pore resolution were obtained. This is the first time that AFM images of a membrane at such high resolution have been presented. Analysis of the images gave a mean pore size of 5.1 nm with a standard deviation of 1.1 nm. The results have been compared to previously published studies of membranes of comparable MWCO using contact AFM and electron microscopy. Non-contact AFM is a powerful means of studying the surface pore characteristics of ultrafiltration membranes.

KW - Atomic force microscopy

KW - Pore size distribution

KW - Ultrafiltration

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Visualisation of an ultrafiltration membrane by non-contact atomic force microscopy at single pore resolution

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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