ABSTRACT
This workshop provides an overview of the entire field of membrane science, technology, and applications through measurements, and is therefore an excellent resource for novices with a technical background, as well as, seasoned veterans interested in broadening their scope (or having a refresher.) The workshop will provide a survey of the various instruments and measurement techniques used to characterize the physical and chemical properties of membranes and processes. After a broad introduction to membranes, there will be four main areas: 1) general mechanical and physico-chemical characterization of membranes/materials; 2) transport figures-of-merit; 3) analytical, visualization and structural characterization methods; and 4) esoteria.

OUTLINE

1. Introduction to Membranes
   dense; microporous; polymeric; inorganic; homogeneous; asymmetric; composite; mixed
    
2. General Mechanical and Physico- Chemical Properties
   density: helium pycnometry, density gradient columns, fractional free volume; streaming potential; contact angle; thermal and mechanical analysis - differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermal relaxation; dielectric relaxation
    
3. Transport Figures-of- Merit
   review of transport models; dense and porous membranes; steady and unsteady state analysis; single component and multi-component; gas, vapor and liquid solubility coefficients (gravimetric, time lag): pressure decay; quartz microbalances; surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices; TGA; Diffusion coefficients: time lag; sorption kinetics; diffusion cell; pure and multi-component permeation; MWCO; ATR- FTIR; high throughput methods
    
4. Structural, Visualization, and Analytical Characterization Techniques
   porosimetry methods; electron (SEM, TEM, ESEM) and high- resolution optical microscopies; scanning force and tunneling (AFM) microscopies; neutron scattering (SANS); small and wide angle x-ray spectroscopy (SAXS and WAXD); molecular mass - gel permeation chromatography; dynamic light scattering; IR spectroscopy; surface spectroscopies: x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, auger electron spectroscopy; raman spectroscopy; electron paramagnetic resonance; fluorescence and depletion
    
5. Esoteria
   Field Flow Fractionation; acoustic time-domain reflectometry (ATDR); dielectric impedance spectroscopy for conductivity; nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); molecular modeling; positron annhilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS)