Abstract
In this paper; we compare double hydrophobic polystyrene-b-poly(solketal methacrylate) (PS-b-PSMA) and amphiphilic polystyrene-b-poly(glyceryl methacrylate) (PS-b-PGMA) diblock copolymer membranes which are prepared by combining the block copolymer self-assembly in solution with a non-solvent induced phase separation (SNIPS). Diblock copolymers (i.e., PS-b-PSMA) were synthesized by sequential living anionic polymerization, whereas polystyrene-b-poly(glyceryl methacrylate) (PS-b-PGMA) were obtained by acid hydrolysis of the acetonide groups of the polysolketal methacrylate (PSMA) blocks into dihydroxyl groups (PGMA). Membrane structures and bulk morphologies were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM); respectively. The resulting PS-b-PGMA diblock copolymers produce an ordered hexagonal cylindrical pore structure during the SNIPS process, while membranes fabricated from the double hydrophobic (PS-b-PSMA) do not under similar experimental conditions. Membrane performance was evaluated by water flux and contact angle measurements.
Highlights
Block copolymers are well known for the formation of many microphase separated morphologies depending on the architecture of the block copolymer(s) involved, molecular weight, composition and thermodynamic properties [1,2,3]
Loeb and Sourirajan introduced for the first time the fabrication of synthetic membranes with advanced functionality via the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) or so-called “phase inversion”
The combination of the self-assembly of block copolymers and non-solvent induced phase separation (SNIPS) process allowed the preparation of isoporous membranes with high porosity and sharp molecular weight cut-off
Summary
Block copolymers are well known for the formation of many microphase separated morphologies depending on the architecture of the block copolymer(s) involved, molecular weight, composition and thermodynamic properties [1,2,3]. The combination of the self-assembly of block copolymers and non-solvent induced phase separation (SNIPS) process allowed the preparation of isoporous membranes with high porosity and sharp molecular weight cut-off. In 2007, the first isoporous block copolymer membrane was reported to be cast from polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) by utilizing the diblock copolymer self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase inversion process (SNIPS) [11]. The first attempt to prepare a membrane from this diblock copolymer was reported by Hahn et al, who used PS-b-PSMA for air brush spraying on a PVDF support membrane [27] In this manuscript, for the first time double hydrophobic PS-b-PSMA and amphiphilic diblock copolymers of PS-b-PGMA are employed to cast integral asymmetric membranes via SNIPS. Previous work on spraying a solution of PS-b-PSMA followed by non-solvent-induced phase inversion did not result in a membrane with a uniform pore structure [27]
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