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Abstract

A composite polyamide reverse osmosis membrane and method of producing same. In one embodiment, the membrane is made by coating a porous polysulfone support for about 40 seconds with an aqueous solution containing (i) a polyfunctional amine in the form of 2 wt % of meta-phenylenediamine (MPD), (ii) a polar solvent in the form of 0.3 wt % 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol (EHD), and (iii) an amine salt-forming combination of 2.3 wt % camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) and 1.1 wt % triethylamine (TEA). Next, the excess aqueous solution is removed, and the coated support is dipped for about 1 minute in a 0.1 wt % organic solvent solution of trimesoyl chloride (TMC) in a mixture of alkanes having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms. After draining the organic solvent solution off, the resulting composite membrane is heated at 90.degree. C. for about 3.5 minutes and then rinsed in a 0.2% Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 aqueous solution at room temperature. The resultant membrane exhibits a flux of 47.9 gfd and a salt rejection of 97.6% when used at 225 psi for an aqueous solution containing 2000 ppm of NaCl. In another embodiment, the aqueous solution contains (i) a polyfunctional amine in the form of 2 wt % of MPD, (ii) a combination of polar solvents in the form of 0.3 wt % of EHD and 2 wt % of dimethyl sulfoxide, and (iii) an amine salt-forming combination of 1 wt % of 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine and 1.6 wt % toluene sulfonic acid. The resultant membrane exhibits a flux of 63.7 gfd and a salt rejection of 90.8% when used at 225 psi for an aqueous solution containing 2000 ppm of NaCl.

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