Oxygen permeation in SBS-g-DMAEMA copolymer membrane prepared by UV photografting without degassing

Abstract

The grafting of dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) onto styrene–butadiene–styrene triblock copolymer membrane (SBS) was induced by UV-radiation without degassing to obtain SBS-g-DMAEMA copolymer membrane. The graft copolymer membrane was characterized by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The density and the decomposition temperature of the SBS-g-DMAEMA copolymer membrane were measured. The effects of DMAEMA grafting content and operating temperature on membrane gas permeability were investigated. It was found that the density of SBS-g-DMAEMA copolymer membrane increased with increasing DMAEMA content, whereas the decomposition temperature decreased. The changes of properties of SBS-g-DMAEMA copolymer membrane reduced the gas permeability and diffusivity of oxygen and nitrogen through the membrane, but increased the gas solubility of oxygen through the membrane and the gas selectivity between oxygen and nitrogen. When the operating temperature of gas permeation was increased, the permeability, solubility and diffusivity of oxygen and nitrogen increased but the selectivity decreased.