Preparation of polyurethane/poly(vinylidene fluoride) blend hollow fibre membrane using melt spinning and stretching

Melt spinning and stretching process was used to prepare polyurethane/poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PU/PVDF) blend hollow fibre membrane in this study. Rheological properties of melts of PU, PVDF and their blends were studied by observing their melting viscosity changing with shear rate and temperature. Morphologies of PU/PVDF blend hollow fibre membranes with different mass ratios were also observed by SEM and results showed that PU/PVDF mass ratio of 3:1 was relatively better condition for membrane preparation. The forming mechanism of the interfacial microvoids in PU/PVDF blends was also investigated and PU/PVDF blend hollow fibre membrane with water flux of ∼2174 L m −2 h −1 was finally obtained under the pressure of 0·1 MPa.