This is a study of polymer membrane formation by the phase inversion technique to which will focus on the development of quantitative models to describe the structure forming processes. A number of model polymer/solvent/nonsolvent systems will be used to investigate the role of glass transition,liquid-liquid phase separation, and crystallization prior to and following film precipitation. Film morphology will also be studied using scanning electron microscopy. Together with results from the mass transfer experiments, these will be analyzed in terms of models developed for the nonsolvent-solvent exchange process. Results from these studies will have direct application in the field of membrane processing and will also find application in a number of other important technological processes which involve polymer phase transformation under nonequilibrium quench conditions.
