Abstract: Through the preparation of PVDF membranes using various nonsolvent coagulation baths following the phase inversion process, the influence of alcohol-based nonsolvents on the formation and structure of PVDF membranes were investigated. The light scattering and light transmission measurements were used to characterize the equilibrium phase diagram and the gelation speed, respectively. The locations of the crystallization-induced gelation boundaries for various systems and precipitation processes were explained from the corresponding thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. It was found that the better affinity between alcohol-based nonsolvents and DMAc solvent caused the gelation boundaries further away from the PVDF-DMAc axis with the coagulation bath varying from water, methanol, ethanol to iso-propanol. Due to the lower exchange rate of DMAc and alcohols, the delayed demixing took place for the membrane-forming using alcohols as baths, and the delayed time became longer when the coagulation bath was changed from methanol, ethanol to iso-propanol. The characterization results of membranes indicate that the influence of nonsolvents on the phase diagram and the precipitation process are in agreement with those on the membrane morphology. The better thermodynamic stability and a low exchange diffusion rate of PVDF/DMAc/alcohols favor the liquid-solid phase separation in gelation process, and therefore yield the membranes with a porous upper surface, a particular bottom surface and symmetrical structure.