Fabrication of highly structural hollow fiber membranes using a microfluidic device

Research Project

Project/Area Number	24860042
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Properties in chemical engineering process/Transfer operation/Unit operation
Research Institution	Kobe University
Principal Investigator	SAEKI Daisuke 神戸大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (70633832)
Project Period (FY)	2012-08-31 – 2014-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000) Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000) Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Keywords	膜分離 / 中空糸膜 / マイクロ・ナノデバイス / マイクロ多相流 / マイクロ流体デバイス
Research Abstract	Hollow fiber membranes have attracted attention to water treatment processes due to their good space efficiency. In this study, microfluidic techniques have been developed to fabricate hollow fiber membranes finely controlled their structure in micrometer scale. Using a cross-shaped microchannel structure, a tubular laminar flow of good solvent containing with hydrophobic polymers, used for membrane materials, was formed in a laminar flow of poor solvent, and was successfully transformed to solid, hydrophobic microfibers. Furthermore, a microfluidic device with two cross-shaped microchannel structures was applicable to fabrication of hollow microfibers.