Abstract
The development of new porous polymeric materials with nanoscale pore dimensions and controlled morphology presents a challenging problem of modern materials and membrane science, which should be based on scientifically justified approaches with the emphasis on ecological issues. This work offers a facile and sustainable strategy allowing preparation of porous nanostructured materials based on ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) via the mechanism of environmental intercrystallite crazing and their detailed characterization by diverse physicochemical methods, including SEM, TEM, AFM, liquid and gas permeability, DSC, etc. The resultant porous UHMWPE materials are characterized by high porosity (up to ~45%), pore interconnectivity, nanoscale pore dimensions (below 10 nm), high water vapor permeability [1700 g/(m2 × day)] and high gas permeability (the Gurley number ~300 s), selectivity, and good mechanical properties. The applied benefits of the advanced UHMWPE mesoporous materials as efficient membranes, breathable, waterproof, and insulating materials, light-weight materials with reduced density, gas capture and storage systems, porous substrates and scaffolds are discussed.
Highlights
Scientific challenges of the materials science of XXIth century are directed towards controlled design and tailoring of innovative high-performance polymeric materials with desired properties and task-specific applications, including the preparation of porous organic materials that are in great demand [1,2,3,4,5,6,7] in diverse areas of science, technology, and even in our daily life
To justify the procedure allowing preparation of open-porous ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) films with nanoscale pore dimensions via environmental crazing and to highlight the applied benefits of the advanced porous materials, this work involves the following steps: characterization of the structure/morphology and stress-strain behavior of the initial UHMWPE samples, the study of the mechanism of environmental crazing of the initial UHMWPE samples, quantitative description of the structural evolution of the UHMWPE films in the course of their tensile drawing via environmental crazing as the route for the design of porous organic materials, interpretation of the experimental results, and formulation of the optimal scenario providing the preparation of the high-performance porous materials with high shape stability
Preparation of porous organic materials with controlled morphology and desired properties requires a thorough characterization of the initial structure of the starting polymer, description of the criteria providing the development of environmental intercrystallite crazing, characterization of the resultant porous polymers as membranes, vapor and gas permeable breathable materials, gas storage materials, etc
Summary
Scientific challenges of the materials science of XXIth century are directed towards controlled design and tailoring of innovative high-performance polymeric materials with desired properties and task-specific applications, including the preparation of porous organic materials that are in great demand [1,2,3,4,5,6,7] in diverse areas of science, technology, and even in our daily life. Porous organic materials prove their evident applied value as they can be used as filtration/separation membrane materials for ultra/nano/microfiltration, membrane distillation, hemodialysis, and environmental remediation, breathable materials, sorbents, insulating and light-weight materials, highperformance filters, fuel cell membranes and battery separators, gas storage and separation materials, materials for capture and storage of clean fuels such as hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4), packaging materials [3,7,8,9,10] as well as matrixes for the accommodation of encapsulation agents and preparation of the innovative materials with controlled drug delivery and release, systems for catalysis, sensors, precursors for nanostructured carbon materials, supports for biomolecular immobilization and cell scaffolds [4,5,11]. Semicrystalline polymers with their evident benefits due to the long-range order are in the spotlight and embraced the attention of many scientists
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