Plasma-polymerized reverse osmosis membranes were prepared by deposition of an allylamine plasma-polymerized top layer onto a cellulose ester surface. Their separation performance was highly dependent on the formation of the top layer, which was itself determined by the plasma polymerization conditions. The density and the thickness of the plasma-deposited polymer top layer influence themembrane flux, while the ability of the membrane to reject salt relies on the degree of polymer cross-linking, which is
in turns related to the transfer of plasma energy into monomer molecules during plasma polymerization. The separation efficiency of the multilayer reverse osmosis composite membrane can be optimized by choosing appopriate plasma conditions. A graph is presented. ?? 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
