Sulfone Polymers for Membranes
Syensqo’s sulfone polymers have been used to make membranes for over 25 years. They are soluble in conventional processing solvents and used to make hollow fiber, flat sheet and tubular membranes. Low cyclic dimer grades improve the stability of dope solutions, reduce filter clogging, and minimize manufacturing defects.
These high-temperature thermoplastics impart high fiber strength, toughness, rigidity and hydrolytic stability. This, combined with their excellent chemical resistance, enables membranes to tolerate a variety of feed streams and cleaning methods.
Excellent chemical resistance combined with hydrolytic stability, high strength and the ability to operate over a broad pH range makes these polymers the right choice for membranes used in demanding end-use environments.
Key Features
- Excellent mechanical properties
- Outstanding hydrolytic stability
- Stable at pH levels from 2 to 13
- Excellent biocompatibility
- Easy to form MF and UF membranes
- Low level of insolubles and extractibles
- Sterilizable by steam, ethylene oxide and gamma radiation
- Global agency approvals
| Pellets | Powders | Typical Mol. Wt. [Mw (x103)] | |
| Udel® PSU | P-1700 LCD | 67–72 | |
| P-3500 LCD | 75–81 | ||
| Veradel® PESU | 3000MP | 64–68 | |
| 3000P | 62–64 | ||
| 3100P | 52–55 | ||
| 3200P | 45–47 | ||
| Radel® PPSU | R-5000 | 52–55 | |
| R-5500 | 55–59 |
Udel® PSU (polysulfone) has been used successfully in a wide variety of membrane applications for over 25 years. It is the most cost-effective member of our sulfone polymers family and has become the industry standard in both reverse osmosis and hemodialysis membranes.
Typical Applications
- Hemodialysis
- RO/NF composite membrane support layer
- Low pressure water filtration
- Bioprocessing
- Food and beverage
- Gas separation
| Key Features | Key Benefits |
|---|---|
|
|
Veradel® PESU (polyethersulfone) offers many of the same features as Udel polysulfone with the added benefit of high heat resistance. This high-performance polymer can be used to make hollow fiber, tubular and flat sheet types of MF and UF membranes. Powder grades are available for ease of dissolution in conventional processing solvents.
Typical Applications
- Low pressure water filtration
- Food and beverage processing
- Industrial filtration
| Key Features | Key Benefits |
|---|---|
|
|
Radel® PPSU (polyphenylsulfone) gives membranes an extra margin of toughness and chemical resistance. It offers the best chemical resistance of any sulfone polymer and can withstand over 1,000 cycles of steam sterilization.
Typical Applications
- Bioprocessing
- Food and beverage
- Industrial
| Physical Properties | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property | Test Method | Units | Udel® P-1700 LCD, P-1800 | Udel® P-3500 LCD, P-1835 | Veradel® 3000P, 3100P, 3200P | Radel® R-5000, R-5500 |
| Form | pellet, powder | pellet, powder | powder | pellet | ||
| Density | ASTM D 792 | g/cm3 | 1.24 | 1.24 | 1.37 | 1.29 |
| Molecular Weight, Mw | GPC | g/mol (x103) | 67-72 | 75-81 | 62-64, 52-55, 45-47 | 52-55, 55-59 |
| Polydispersity | GPC | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.2-3.9 | 2.6 | |
| Solution Viscosity 25% in DMAC 40°C, 30 s-1 | cp | 1,000- 1,800 | 1,800- 3,000 | 1,225-1,650, 700-900, 420-550 | ~2,200 | |
| Melt Flow Index | ASTM D 1238 | g/10 min | 5.0-9.0(1) | 2.0-4.9(1) | 14-20, 12-17(2) | |
| Water Absorption 24 hours, 23°C | ASTM D 570 | % | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.37 |
(1)Melt flow condition 343°C, 2.16 kg
(2)Melt flow condition 365°C, 5.0 kg
| Mechanical Properties | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property | Test Method | Units | Udel® P-1700 LCD, P-1800 | Udel® P-3500 LCD, P-1835 | Veradel® 3000P, 3100P, 3200P | Radel® R-5000, R-5500 |
| Tensile Strength at Yield | ASTM D 638 | psi MPa | 10,200 70 | 10,200 70 | 12,900 90 | 10,100 70 |
| Tensile Modulus | ASTM D 638 | kpsi MPa | 360 2,480 | 360 2,480 | 400 2,800 | 340 2,300 |
| Tensile Elongation at Yield | ASTM D 638 | % | 5.7 | 5.7 | 6.5 | 7.2 |
| Tensile Elongation at Break | ASTM D 638 | % | 50-100 | 50-100 | 30-60 | 60-120 |
| Flexural Strength | ASTM D 790 | psi MPa | 15,400 106 | 15,400 106 | 17,500 121 | 15,200 105 |
| Flexural Modulus | ASTM D 790 | kpsi MPa | 390 2,690 | 390 2,690 | 400 2,800 | 350 2,400 |
| Thermal Properties | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property | Test Method | Units | Udel® P-1700 LCD, P-1800 | Udel® P-3500 LCD, P-1835 | Veradel® 3000P, 3100P, 3200P | Radel® R-5000, R-5500 |
| Glass Transition Temperature | ASTM D 3418 | °C | 190 | 190 | 220 | 220 |
| Heat Deflection Temperature 264 psi (1.8 MPa) | ASTM D 648 | °C | 174 | 174 | 204 | 207 |
| Chemical Resistance* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property | Udel® P-1700 LCD, P-1800 | Udel® P-3500 LCD, P-1835 | Veradel® 3000P, 3100P, 3200P | Radel® R-5000, R-5500 |
| Hydrolytic Stability | + | + | + | + |
| Acids | + | + | + | + |
| Alkali | + | + | + | |
| Aliphatic Hydrocarbons | 0 | 0 | + | + |
| Aromatic Hydrocarbons | - | - | 0 | 0 |
| Aliphatic Alcohols | 0 | 0 | + | + |
| Chlorinated Hydrocarbons | - | - | - | 0 |
| Dipolar Aprotic Solvents | - | - | - | - |
| Chlorine | + | + | + | + |
| Ozone | + | + | + | + |
| Sterilization by Gamma Rays | + | + | + | + |
| Sterilization by Steam | + | + | + | + |
KEY
+ Polymer is resistant. Any increase in weight is less than 2% and any decrease in weight is less than 0.3%. The tensile yield strength is at least 85% of the initial value.
0 Use of polymer is limited. Response does not meet above criteria. For example, weight increase may be more than 2%. However, the polymer can be used if stress is low.
>– Polymer is not resistant. There is considerable alteration of the polymer, such as dissolution or chemical or physical degradation.
* Internal test method. Ratings give a general indication.
| Chemical Resistance* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Reagent | Udel® PSU | Veradel® PESU | Radel® PPSU |
| n-Butane | E | E | E |
| Benzene | SA | SA | F |
| Toluene | SA | SA | F |
| Ethanol | G | G | E |
| Methyl Ethyl Ketone | SA | SA | E |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | SA | SA | F |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | G | G | G |
| Hydrochloric Acid, 20% | E | E | E |
| Sodium Hydroxide, 10% | E | E | E |
KEY
E Excellent. No change.
G Good. Minor attack. No serious loss of properties.
F Fair. Some attack. Some useful properties remain.
SA Severe attack or rupture.
* Internal test method. Ratings give a general indication.
| Solvents* | ||
|---|---|---|
| Udel® PSU | Veradel® PESU | Radel® PPSU |
| NMP | NMP | NMP |
| DMF | DMF | DMF |
| DMAC | DMAC | DMAC |
| Pyrridine | Pyrridine | Pyrridine |
| 2-Pyrrolidone | ||
| Chloroform | ||
| Methylene Chloride | ||
| Tetrahydrofuran |
Abbreviations
NMP N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone
DMF N,N-Dimethyl Formamide
DMAC N,N-Dimethylacetamide
*Dissolves 10% (wt/wt) cold
| Agency Approvals for Sulfone Polymers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Udel® PSU | Radel® PPSU | |
| Food Contact | ||
| FDA | All base resins comply with 177.1655 | All base resins comply with FCN #83 |
| EC Directive | All base resins comply with 90/128/EEC and its amendments | All base resins comply with 90/128/EEC and its amendments |
| NSF 51 | P-1700 NT 11 P-3703 NT | R-5000 |
| Water Contact | ||
| NSF 61 85° C | P-1700 NT P-1700 NT LCD P-3500 NT LCD P-3500 NT | R-5000 NT |
| WRc 85° C | P-1700 NT 11 P-3500 NT LCD | R-5000 NT |
| KTW 90° C | P-1700 NT 11 P-3500 NT 11 | None |
For further specifications and details regarding these agency approvals, please
contact your local sales representative.