High-flux Low-Fouling Ultrafiltration Membrane Filters Based on Nanofibrous Scaffolds (Chu/Hsiao):
Conventional water ultrafiltration membranes were often manufactured by using a phase immersion casting method to generate porous media. However, the filtration flux rate based on the porosity (which is proportional to the flux) generated by this method is relatively low. We have demonstrated that electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds, with interconnected nanofibrous porosity, can serve as an ideal mid-layer to increase the flux rate of ultrafiltration. The ease in controlling the nanofiber diameter from ~100 nanometers to few micrometers can provide a new “platform” to control the porosity as well as to support the ultra-thin coating of nonporous top-layer for anti-fouling and functional filtration.