Abstract
Polysulfone based membranes with controlled porosity pore density, size and orientation were synthesized. The predicted pore characteristics are obtained by adding magnetite (nano or micro) particles into the polysulfone gel and the pores obtained by applying different magnetic fields. The pore density, size and orientation can be designed based on the magnetite particle concentration, on the magnetite particles size and respectively based on the angle between membrane surface and magnetite field. The pore density, size and orientation of the membranes were analyzed by SEM. FTIR was used to investigate the membrane composition and to prove the possibility of removing the magnetite particles by acidic dissolution or by extended membrane exposure to the magnetic field. The complex thermal analysis was used to characterize the thermal behaviour of the synthesized membranes. Keywords: polysulfone membranes, pore characteristics, predicted porosity and separation ability, scanning electron microscopy