Supported cellulose ultrafiltration membranes are cast from a cellulose-ionic liquid solution by the immersion precipitation technique. The effects of coagulation bath temperature and polymer concentration in the casting solution on the membrane morphology, wettability, pure water flux, molecular weight cut-off, and fouling resistance are studied. Scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy, and filtration experiments are carried out in order to characterise the obtained ultrafiltration cellulose membranes. The results show the effect of coagulation bath temperature and polymer concentration on the surface morphology and properties of cellulose ultrafiltration membranes. Optimisation of the two parameters leads to the creation of dense membranes with good pure water fluxes and proven fouling resistance towards humic acid water solutions.
Keywords: cellulose; coagulation bath temperature; immersion precipitation; ionic liquid; ultrafiltration.