Studies on polyurea membrane

Synthesis of polyurea by interface polymerization of diisocyanate and diamine for preparation of polymer membrane for use in separation problems was investigated. A sulfuric-acid-based casting formulation was developed for the polymer prepared from 1,6-hexamethylene diamine and 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate. The resulting membrane is porous and highly permeable to water. However, salt rejection was found to be <20%, while high molecular weight solutes like milk, papain, and Na-alginate were found to be rejected 100%. The membrane is more like a sieve structure with the absence of an asymmetric layer. It is found to be resistant to many organic solvents, thus making it suitable for use in ultrafiltration applications.