The Effect of Acid Addition on Certain Properties of Polyamide 66 Polimeric Membranes

In this study, four polymeric solutions were prepared to contain 10% of different additives—benzoic, adipic, tartaric, and citric acids—relative to the amount of polyamide 66 (PA66), with the total composition comprising 20% PA66 and 80% hydrochloric acid (HCl). The objective was to analyze these additives' influence on the resulting membranes' microstructure. The polymeric solutions were evaluated for viscosity, and the membranes produced with each additive were characterized in terms of water absorption capacity, porosity, water flux, maximum pore radius, and water vapor permeation. Incorporating acids with varying molecular weights (MW) into the PA66 solutions resulted in a progressive increase in viscosity, corresponding to the increase in molecular weight of the respective additive.