Process for spinning dry-fiber cellulose acetate hollow fiber membranes

Claim 2

A dry phase inversion process for forming asymmetric wet-dry reversible hollow fiber membranes comprising extruding a polymer containing spinning solution in the form of a hollow fiber into an evaporation promoting gas phase to thereby form a membrane wall by the dry phase inversion process without liquid bath coagulation of the external membrane wall with a coagulating bath and injecting into the hollow passage therein a non-solvent for the polymer to thereby form the interior of the membrane by the wet phase inversion process.

Claim 3

A hollow fiber membrane forming process comprising the steps of: extruding into an atmosphere which promotes rapid evaporation the outer surface of hollow fiber configured membrane forming solution containing a polymer dissolved in a solvent for the polymer and mixed with a non-solvent for the polymer to thereby form a membrane structure on the outer surface of a hollow fiber by the dry phase inversion method; simultaneously contacting the interior surface of the extruded hollow fiber configured spinning solution with a non-solvent for the polymer therein with a non-solvent for the polymer to thereby form a membrane structure on the interior surface of the hollow fiber by the wet phase inversion method; and evaporating substantially all liquids from the membrane to thereby form a dry asymmetric membrane having different pore structures at the respective surfaces by reason of the two methods of membrane formation of the respective surfaces.

Claim 4

A hollow fiber membrane forming process comprising the steps of: extruding into an atmosphere which promotes rapid evaporation the outer surface of hollow fiber configured membrane forming solution containing a polymer dissolved in a solvent for the polymer and mixed with a non-solvent for the polymer to thereby form a membrane structure on the outer surface of a hollow fiber by the dry phase inversion method; simultaneously contacting the interior surface of the extruded hollow fiber configured spinning solution with a non-solvent for the polymer therein with a non-solvent for the polymer to thereby form a membrane structure on the interior surface of the hollow fiber by the wet phase inversion method; and evaporating substantially all liquids from the membrane to thereby form a dry asymmetric membrane having different pore structures at the respective surfaces by reason of the two methods of membrane formation of the respective surfaces.

Claim 5

The process defined in claim 2 wherein the interior hollow passage is substantially filled with a non-solvent liquid for the polymer.

Claim 6

The process defined in claim 3 wherein the polymer is cellulose acetate, the solvent is methyl formate, propylene oxide or ethylene oxide, the non-solvent in the spinning solution is t-butanol, isopropanol or ethanol and the non-solvent injected into the fiber passage is ethanol or isopropanol.

Claim 7

The process defined in claim 4 wherein the cellulose acetate has a degree of substitution of from about 2.3 to about 2.7 and a molecular weight of about 40,000 or more, the solvent is methyl formate or propylene oxide, the non-solvent in the spinning solution is t-butanol or isopropanol and the non-solvent injected into the fiber passage is ethanol or isopropanol.

Claim 8

The process defined in claim 5 wherein the spinning solution includes a plasticizer for cellulose acetate.

Claim 9

The process defined in claim 6 wherein the solvent is methyl formate, the non-solvent injected into the passage of the fiber is ethanol, the plasticizer is glycerol and the cellulose acetate has a molecular weight of about 50,000 or more.

Claim 10

The process defined in claim 4 including the further step of hydrolyzing the surface of the fiber passage.

Claim 11

The process defined in claim 3 including the further step of modifying the surface of the fiber passage by flowing a solution which is chemically reactive with the membrane polymer through the passage.