Universiteit Antwerpen

Vito Nv

Kenny Wyns

Anita Buekenhoudt

Vera Meynen

Pegie Cool

Ghulam Mustafa

Bert Maes

Provided herein are filtration membranes for water treatment, and methods for preventing fouling of such membranes. The method described herein comprises grafting the membrane surface with an organic moiety, by reacting the surface with an organometallic reagent, a phosphonate, a phosphinate, or an organosilane.

Method for increasing the fouling resistance of inorganic membranes by grafting with organic moieties

The present invention relates to a method for the modification of metal hydroxide and/or metal oxide surfaces of an inorganic matrix with an organometallic reagent for obtaining an organic functionalized matrix suitable for filtration processes. The method involves the direct covalent binding of organic functional groups by allowing a pre-treated matrix to react with organometallic reagents in the present of a suitable solvent. The present invention further relates to an organic functionalized matrix obtainable or obtained by carrying out a method according to the invention. The invention also provides various uses of a surface-modified matrices as described herein in various industrial applications, including for instance in filtration and/or adsorption and/or separation processes, or as support, e.g. for catalyst systems or for enzyme systems.

Surface modified inorganic matrix and method for preparation thereof

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Lommel, Belgium

Kenny Wyns