Chitin and Chitosan Derivative Membranes in Resources, Energy, Environmental and Medical Field

In this chapter, the fundamentals of membrane permeation and separation in several membrane technologies are introduced because their understanding is very important for the development of further noble membranes. In dialysis, chitosan derivative membranes for diffusion dialysis and hemodialysis are introduced. In reverse osmosis, a novel ultra low energy reverse osmosis membrane modified by chitosan with glutaraldehyde crosslinking is developed. In nanofiltration, an application of chitosan membranes for the removal of heavy metal ions is investigated. In ultrafiltration, the relationship among the degree of heparinization of chitosan membrane, ultrafiltration characteristics and water content is discussed. In pervaporation, the characteristics of permeation and separation for aqueous ethanol solution through the chitosan and glutaraldehyde crosslinked chitosan membranes in pervaporation is discussed in detail from the viewpoints of chemical and physical structure of membrane. The water-permselective, organic-permselective and organic-organic separation membranes are introduced. In evapomeation, effects of ethanol concentration in the feed vapor on the permeation and separation characteristics and degree of swelling of the chitosan and crosslinked membranes by evapomeation are investigated. In temperature difference–controlled evapomeation, the characteristics of permeation and separation for aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide solution through nonporous and porous chitosan membrane are investigated. Mechanisms for the permeation and separation through these membranes are discussed in detail. In carrier transport, the uphill transport of halogen ions and organic ions such as benzoate ion, amino acids such as phenylalanine, nucleic acid bases such as adenine, cytosine, guanine, uracil is discussed in detail. In catalytic membranes urea hydrolysis by the urease immobilized chitosan membrane is introduced. In fuel cell chemically modified chitosan membranes are introduced.