a b s t r a c t
Microfiltrationmembranesofpoly(L-lacticacid)(PLLA)havebeenpreparedbyanonsolvent-inducedphase
separationmethodwiththeaidofsurfactants.Surfactantswithhydrophilic-lipophilicbalance(HLB)valuesof
14.9–15.6werefoundtobeusefulinreducingtheshrinkageinthicknessofthePLLAmembrane.Amongthe
surfactantsexamined,Tween80wasthebestforpreparingmicrofiltrationmembranes.Thesurfactantallowed
instantaneousphaseseparationandseemedtoenhance thediffusionofwaterinthePLLAsolutionduring
structureformation.Themembranehadasymmetric finger-likestructuresandshowedlowmembrane
resistanceandhighbacterialcellretentionwhenthemembranewaspreparedfroma10wt%PLLAsolutionin
1,4-dioxanecontaining10wt%Tween80.Bovineserumalbuminmoleculespassedthroughthemembrane
suggestingthatthemembranefunctionsasamicrofiltrationmembrane.Themembranewasstableat25 1C
butdegradableat60 1C inwetconditions.Themembranecanbeappliedasacompostablemicrofiltration
membraneinfoodandbiochemicalindustries.