This book concentrates on the method recently developed to study the surfaces of synthetic polymeric membranes by Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). AFM is becoming a very important tool for the characterization of synthetic polymeric membranes. The development of membranes of improved performance depends on the exact knowledge of the morphology of a thin selective layer that exists at the surface of the membrane. The control of the morphology of the selective layer is crucial for the design of synthetic polymeric membranes. With a relatively short historicaly twenty- five years, AFM has firmly established its position as a method to characterize the membrane surface.Each chapter includes information on the basic principles, commercial applications, an overview of current research and a guideline for the future research. At the end of each chapter there is a summary of the individual chapter together with a comprehensive list of references. the book covers all aspects of AFM studies on the characterization of synthetic polymeric membranes.For academic researchers who are investigating synthetic membranes and also R&D staffs who wish to improve and control the quality of synthetic membranes for various purposes. This book may also attract a wider range of readers, since synthetic membranes are now considered to be one of the most important tools in the areas of seawater desalination, wastewater treatment, water production, food processing, treatment of pharmaceutical products, air and water cleaning, separation of chemical and petrochemical products, drug release and other biomedical applications.

1;Preface;7 2;Abbreviations and Symbols;10 3;Table of Contents;14 4;1 Introduction;17 5;2 Synthetic Membranes for Membrane Processes;20 6;3 Atomic ForceMicroscopy;34 7;4 Nodular Structure of Polymers in the Membrane;61 8;5 Pore Size, Pore Size Distribution, and Roughness at theMembrane Surface;115 9;6 Cross-sectional AFM Image;154 10;7 Adhesion;169 11;8 Membrane Surface Morphology;180 12;andMembrane Performance;180 13;Subject Index;204