Influence of Evaporation Temperature on the Morphology, Polymorph and Mechanical Properties of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Solution-Cast Membranes

In this study, PVDF membranes were prepared by solution-cast method. The effects of evaporation temperature on the morphology, polymorph and mechanical properties of such prepared membranes were studied. It was found that perfect spherulites were observed in the solution-cast membranes. FESEM photomicrographs of the membranes showed dense structure. PVDF mainly crystallized into α phase. In the solution-cast process, the spherulite size increased as evaporation temperature was increased from 120 °C to 150 °C, when the evaporation temperature was 165 °C, spherulite size decreased. And the tensile strength increased with the decrease in spherulite size.