Abstract
The present work reports a new method of preparing semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) membranes through in situ polymerization of bismaleimide (BMI) within polysulfone (PSF). It was found that BMI could be polymerized at ambient conditions in the presence of a proton donor and PSF without the use of an initiator or a catalyst. Chemical structure characterization of these semi-IPNs by Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) revealed the possibility of imide cleavage and formation of amic acid when BMI polymerization was continued for a longer time while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed the protonation of imide nitrogen at shorter polymerization time. It was also found that size of thermoset BMI phase within the PSF thermoplastic has a significant impact on glass-transition temperature of resulting semi-IPN. By controlling the thermoset/thermoplastic phase separation of semi-IPNs through dope composition and formation techniques, gas separation membranes with comparable selectivity and permeance that were up to 12 times higher than corresponding PSF membranes were formed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 369–379, 2006
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