Permeability of pH-sensitive membranes grafted by Fenton-type reaction: An experimental and modeling study

Membrane modification by different concentrations of acrylic acid has been described. Grafting of acrylic acid to the surface of a polypropylene membrane was obtained by a Fenton-type reaction. Membrane permeability seemed to have been dependent on the value of pH in the solution. To explain tendency, a simple theoretical model was developed. The model incorporates explicitly statistical conformations of a polyacid chain grafted onto the pore surface. The charged capillary model with a varying diameter for porous membranes was then used to evaluate the permeability of the membrane. It has been shown both theoretically and experimentally that the permeability of a grafted membrane depends on the pH of the solution.