Abstract: Superhydrophobic PDMS/PVDF microporous membrane was prepared by solution casting and phase inversion. The influence of composition of coagulation bath on the precipitation rate of the casting solution, membrane morphology, pore structure, hydrophobicity, and mechanical properties were studied. It was found that as the ethanol content in coagulation bath increased from 0 to 100 wt%, the finger-like hole at cross-section of the membrane was gradually replaced by a sponge-like structure.When ethanol was used as the coagulation bath, phase separation occurred between PDMS and PVDF, the hydrophobicity increased and the contact angle reached 139.68 °. Young’ modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break decreased from (48.06±4.20),(2.82±0.15) MPa, and (92.90±2.53) % to (15.70±2.83), (0.72±0.13) MPa, and (15.47±1.63) %, respectively.

Key words: poly(dimethylsiloxane), poly(vinylidene fluoride), Hydrophobic microporous membrane