Impact of Endometallofullerene on P84 Copolyimide Transport and Thermomechanical Properties.

Galina Polotskaya,Alexandra Pulyalina,Iosif Gofman,Maia Putintseva,Alexander Toikka

doi:10.3390/polym10101108

Galina Polotskaya, Alexandra Pulyalina + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10101108

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Journal: Polymers	Publication Date: Oct 7, 2018
Citations: 3	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: St Petersburg University, Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Novel polymer composite materials, including unique nanoparticles, contribute to the progress of modern technologies. In this work, the endohedral fullerene C60 with incapsulated iron atom (endometallofullerene Fe@C60) is used for modification of P84 copolyimide. The impact of 0.1, 0.5, and 1 wt % endometallofullerene on the structure and physicochemical properties of polymer films is studied through scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and thermomechanical tests. Transport properties are estimated through sorption and pervaporation techniques toward methanol and methyl acetate mixture. The inclusion of endometallofullerene into the copolyimide matrix improves membrane permeability and selectivity in the separation of methanol—methyl acetate mixtures. The maximal effect is achieved with a composite containing 0.5 wt % Fe@C60. The developed composites are effective for energy and resource saving purification of methyl acetate by pervaporation.

Highlights

The development of novel composite materials through polymer modification with nanoparticles promotes the progress of modern technologies, such as membrane gas and liquid separation [1,2,3].Innovative membrane materials with unique physicochemical and transport properties have been created with the use of carbon nanoparticles as a modifier [4]
Composite membranes based on copolyimide P84 with different contents (0.1, 0.5, and 1 wt %) of the new modifier—endohedral fullerene C60 with an incapsulated iron atom were developed
The structure of the membranes was studied through scanning electron microscopy; it was shown that the matrix polymer and the filler are well compatible at low concentrations of nanoparticles

Summary

Introduction

Innovative membrane materials with unique physicochemical and transport properties have been created with the use of carbon nanoparticles (nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene and its derivatives) as a modifier [4]. Endohedral fullerene with incorporated atom of metal (endohedral metallofullerene or endometallofullerene) has attracted great attention since 1990 [7]. The π-system of fullerene is modified by the electron transfer from the metal atom and by an inhomogeneous distribution of excess electron density over the fullerene surface. This raises an intriguing question of the mutual influence of the endohedral atoms on the addition pattern and physicochemical properties of the endometallofullerene derivatives [8,9]

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