Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations were applied to investigate the formation of P84 polyimide membranes through the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process, considering two scenarios: one using a conventional organic solvent like n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and the other a greener alternative, γ-butyrolactone (GBL), with water serving as the non-solvent. Different compositions of polymer solutions were established along the binodal boundaries of the respective systems, derived from experimental cloud point data on the ternary phase diagram. The resulting polymer membranes were analyzed and compared in terms of their morphology. The wettability of their surfaces was notably affected by the polymer content in the initial casting solution and demonstrated a correlation with the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) specific surface area of the associated polymer nanostructures. The GBL solvent systems produced porous polymers qualitatively similar to those obtained with NMP, albeit with slightly narrower pore size distributions.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
