| AVS 64th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Biomaterial Interfaces Division | Monday Sessions |
| Session BI-MoM |
| Session: | Engineering a Paradigm Shift in Control of Microbes and Fouling |
| Presenter: | Caitlin Howell, University of Maine |
| Authors: | J.C. Overton, University of Maine C. Howell, University of Maine |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Membranes coated with antifouling immobilized liquid layers have been recently shown to permit filtration while reducing surface fouling. In this work, we test the ability of liquid gated membranes created with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and perfluorinated liquids to reduce the buildup of internal pore fouling using whey protein, an extremely challenging biological foulant. We find no differences in the decrease of flux or rate of fouling between coated and uncoated membranes in a dead-end filtration setup. However, upon stopping flow for 15-30 minutes, up to 70% of the original flux can be recovered with no additional energy input. This cycle can be repeated multiple times, with approximately 5% decrease in flux recovery each time. We use standard fouling equations and light microscopy to demonstrate that this zero-energy recovery may occur within the pores of the membrane due to the refilling of the pore with lubricating liquid, pushing the proteins off the pore walls. This work could have important applications in filtration processes with high fouling rates, reducing costs associated with standard chemical or physical cleaning methods.