Nanoporous Block Copolymer Membranes with Enhanced Solvent Resistance Via UV-Mediated Cross-Linking Strategies
- In this work, a block copolymer (BCP) consisting of poly((butyl methacrylate-co-benzophenone methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate)-block-(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)) (P(BMA-co-BPMA-co-MMA)-b-P(HEMA)) is prepared by a two-step atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) procedure. BCP membranes are fabricated applying the self-assembly and nonsolvent induced phase separation (SNIPS) process from a ternary solvent mixture of tetrahydrofuran (THF), 1,4-dioxane, and dimethylformamide (DMF). The presence of a porous top layer of the integral asymmetric membrane featuring pores of about 30 nm is confirmed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). UV-mediated cross-linking protocols for the nanoporous membrane are adjusted to maintain the open and isoporous top layer. The swelling capability of the noncross-linked and cross-linked BCP membranes is investigated in water, water/ethanol mixture (1:1), and pure ethanol using atomic force microscopy, proving a stabilizing effect of the UV cross-linking on the porous structures. Finally, the influence of the herein described cross-linking protocols on water-flux measurements for the obtained membranes is explored. As a result, an increased swelling resistance for all tested solvents is found, leading to an increased water flux compared to the pristine membrane. The herein established UV-mediated cross-linking protocol is expected to pave the way to a new generation of porous and stabilized membranes within the fields of separation technologies.
Document Type: | Article |
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Author: | Florian V. Frieß, Qiwei Hu, Jannik Mayer, Lea Gemmer, Volker PresserORCiD, Bizan N. BalzerORCiD, Markus GalleiORCiD |
URN: | urn:nbn:de:bsz:291:415-171 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.202100632 |
ISSN: | 1022-1336 |
Parent Title (English): | Macromolecular rapd communications |
Volume: | 43 |
Issue: | 3 |
First Page: | 2100632 |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2021/11/17 |
Year of first Publication: | 2022 |
Release Date: | 2022/05/12 |
Tag: | UV-cross-linking; amphiphilic polymers; block copolymers; membranes; self-assembly |
GND Keyword: | Polymere |
Impact: | 04.60 (2022) |
Funding Information: | DFG Project. Grant Number: GA2169/7-1 DFG-funded consortium for advanced paper research. Grant Number: DFG-PAK 962/1 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Grant Number: EXC-2193/1 – 390951807 Project DEAL |
Scientific Units: | Energy Materials |
DDC classes: | 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 540 Chemie |
Open Access: | Open Access |
Signature: | INM 2022/008 |
Licence (German): | Creative Commons - CC BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |