Non-solvent Induced Phase Separation Research Articles

Preparation and performance study of heparinized multi‐walled carbon nanotube/cellulose acetate hemodialysis membrane

AbstractCurrently, the incidence of kidney failure is increasing worldwide. Hemodialysis is the main method for the treatment of kidney diseases, and the continuous development of new hemodialysis membranes is the key to improve the treatment effect and the quality of life of patients. In this study, heparinized multi‐walled carbon nanotube/cellulose acetate (Hep/MWCNTs@CA) membranes were prepared by non‐solvent induced phase separation (NIPS). The morphology and pore structure of Hep/MWCNTs@CA membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The elongation at break and tensile strength of the membranes were characterized by a mechanical property universal tester. The results showed that mechanical properties of 0.1 wt% MWCNTs enhanced the membrane is best. The water contact angle test confirmed that MWCNTs can improve the membrane hydrophilicity, and combined with the adsorption test results for proteins, it was found that the hydrophilicity can reduce the adsorption of proteins to the composite membrane and improve the blood compatibility of the material. The dialysis performance of urea and lysozyme was tested by a self‐made simulated hemodialysis device, and the clearance rates of urea and lysozyme were 84% and 47.2%, respectively, which showed that the interfacial gap between MWCNTs and CA matrix can make the composite membrane retain a high retention rate of macromolecular proteins (92.3%) and further improved the clearance rate of small and medium molecular toxins. In addition, the good blood compatibility and biocompatible properties of the materials were confirmed by hemolysis, recalcification and cytotoxicity tests on Hep/MWCNTs@CA membranes. In conclusion, the prepared Hep/MWCNTs@CA holds great potential for application in the field of hemodialysis.

Impact of Porosity and Stiffness of 3D Printed Polycaprolactone Scaffolds on Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Activation of Dendritic Cells.

Despite the potential of extrusion-based printing of thermoplastic polymers in bone tissue engineering, the inherent nonporous stiff nature of the printed filaments may elicit immune responses that influence bone regeneration. In this study, bone scaffolds made of polycaprolactone (PCL) filaments with different internal microporosity and stiffness was 3D-printed. It was achieved by combining three fabrication techniques, salt leaching and 3D printing at either low or high temperatures (LT/HT) with or without nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS). Printing PCL at HT resulted in stiff scaffolds (modulus of elasticity (E): 403 ± 19 MPa and strain: 6.6 ± 0.1%), while NIPS-based printing at LT produced less stiff and highly flexible scaffolds (E: 53 ± 10 MPa and strain: 435 ± 105%). Moreover, the introduction of porosity by salt leaching in the printed filaments significantly changed the mechanical properties and degradation rate of the scaffolds. Furthermore, this study aimed to show how these variations influence proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBMSC) and the maturation and activation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DC). The cytocompatibility of the printed scaffolds was confirmed by live-dead imaging, metabolic activity measurement, and the continuous proliferation of hBMSC over 14 days. While all scaffolds facilitated the expression of osteogenic markers (RUNX2 and Collagen I) from hBMSC as detected through immunofluorescence staining, the variation in porosity and stiffness notably influenced the early and late mineralization. Furthermore, the flexible LT scaffolds, with porosity induced by NIPS and salt leaching, stimulated Mo-DC to adopt a pro-inflammatory phenotype marked by a significant increase in the expression of IL1B and TNF genes, alongside decreased expression of anti-inflammatory markers, IL10 and TGF1B. Altogether, the results of the current study demonstrate the importance of tailoring porosity and stiffness of PCL scaffolds to direct their biological performance toward a more immune-mediated bone healing process.

High porosity, excellent mechanical strength, interpenetrating network-reinforced double network regenerated cellulose separators for lithium-ion battery

Cellulose material is emerging as a promising alternative to polyolefin separators in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its wide availability, electrolyte wettability and thermal stability. Based on the non-solvent induced phase separation, dissolving and regenerating the cellulose material by environmentally friendly solvents and non-solvent enables the efficient and pollution-free preparation of porous regenerated cellulose separator (RCS), greatly expanding their application potential in LIBs. However, the mechanical strength of pure RCS still hardly satisfactory, due to the weak intermolecular bonding and loose porous structure. Therefore, this study introduced an acrylic acid/acrylamide (AA/AM) polymer cross-linking system forming an interpenetrating network with the cellulose framework to produce a double network regenerated cellulose separator (DN-RCS) with high mechanical strength and high porosity. At meantime, the special functional group on AA/AM can influence the transport process of Li+ and PF6− in the electrolyte, helping to form a stable interface on the electrolyte/lithium anode surface to reduce the formation of lithium dendrites. The results showed that DN-RCS possessed excellent mechanical strength and porosity compared to RCS. The high ionic conductivity of DN-RCS (1.03 mS cm−1) enabled the assembled cell with excellent cycling stability (90.8 % at 0.5C for 100 cycles) and rate performance (65.2 % at 5C). This work provides a further feasible strategy for the preparation of a high-performance cellulose-based separator.

Mixed Matrix PVDF Microfiltration Membranes with In-situ Synthesized Polyethyleneimine Particles as a Platform for Flow Through, High Capacity, Weak Base and Salt Tolerant Anion Exchange Membrane Adsorbers for Downstream Bioprocessing

The rapid growth of the monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutic market has led to a need for improved downstream bioprocessing, including mAb capture and release from bioreactor harvests followed by product purification and polishing. Membrane chromatography (MC) is poised to displace resin-based column chromatography in mAb product polishing. To remove negatively charged product impurities (e.g., host cell proteins, DNA, viruses, and endotoxins), anion exchange (AEX) membrane adsorbers offer higher process rates and eliminate the risks of cross contamination as they can be deployed as single use separation devices, which are increasingly being utilized in downstream bioprocessing to increase manufacturing speed and decrease production cost. Here, we describe a one-pot and single step phase inversion casting process for the preparation of a family of mixed matrix polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microfiltration (MF) membranes with in-situ synthesized polyethyleneimine (PEI) microparticles that can serve as flow through, high capacity, and salt tolerant weak base AEX membrane adsorbers. These new membranes have a high content of weak base (WB) groups (primary and secondary amines) by virtue of the utilization of bis(2-chloroethyl)amine hydrochloride (BCAH) as crosslinker in the in-situ synthesis of PEI microparticles in the dope dispersions prior to membrane casting. By varying the concentration of PEI and BCAH in the casting dispersions, we successfully utilized nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) with isopropyl alcohol as the nonsolvent in the membrane coagulation bath to prepare a mixed matrix PVDF-PEI MF membrane with (i) a relatively uniform and open microstructure in which the PEI particles completely cover the PVDF spherulites present at the membrane surface and cross section, (ii) high water flux (>1000 liters/m2/hr. at 2 bar) and (iii) a high loading of BCAH crosslinked PEI microparticles (51.0 wt.%) containing weak base primary, secondary, and tertiary amine groups. The protein binding measurements show that this new mixed matrix PVDF-PEI MF membrane can serve as a flow through, high capacity, and salt tolerant WB AEX membrane adsorber with a bovine serum albumin (BSA) dynamic binding capacity of ∼60 mg BSA per mL of membrane in a 50 mM TRIS buffer containing 100 mM of NaCl (15 mS/cm) at 10% breakthrough and flow rate of 10 MV/min. The overall results of this study indicate that our mixed matrix PVDF-PEI MF membranes with in-situ synthesized and BCAH crosslinked PEI microparticles have a promising potential to serve as a platform for the design, preparation, and scale up of a new generation of flow through, high capacity, salt tolerant, WB AEX membrane adsorber materials for downstream bioprocessing.

Superhydrophobic poly(lactic acid) membrane prepared with the induction of modified carbon dots for efficient separation of water-in-oil emulsions

Superhydrophobic separation membranes are considered to be one of the most promising technologies for oil-water separation. However, the plastic waste generated from discarded membranes poses a challenge to the preparation of degraded superhydrophobic separation membranes for achieving eco-friendly separation. In this study, superhydrophobic poly(lactic acid) (PLA) membranes were fabricated using a non-solvent induced phase separation method assisted by l-cysteine modified carbon dots (Cys-CDs). The synergistic effect of Cys-CDs-induced crystallization behavior of PLA and the phase separation process results in the evolution of the surface of the PLA-based membrane from a pistil-like structure to a multi-level micro-nano structure composed of dense lamellar nanofibers and microspheres with an increase in Cys-CDs content. At a Cys-CDs content of 5 wt%, the surface roughness of PLA-based separation membrane reached its maximum, and the water contact angle was as high as 159°. Remarkably, the superhydrophobic Cys-CDs/PLA membrane exhibited promising performance in the separation of water-in-oil emulsions, with a rejection rate of 99.98 % and a flux of 315.74 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1. Additionally, the superhydrophobic Cys-CDs/PLA separation membrane also demonstrates impressive properties such as acid-alkali resistance and rapid recycling into high-value chemicals. Consequently, this rapidly recoverable superhydrophobic porous Cys-CDs/PLA membrane shows great potential for practical applications in actual oil-water separation.

Fabrication of a Polyglycolic Acid Porous Microneedle Array Patch Using the Nonsolvent Induced Phase Separation Method for Body Fluid Extraction

ABSTRACTTraditional blood sampling is essential for early diagnosis and subsequent analysis, but the methods using hypodermic needles are painful and burdensome. Recently, a minimally invasive approach utilizing porous microneedles has been developed and various porous microneedle array patches (MAPs) composed of biodegradable polymers have been investigated. To address issues about low mechanical strength and liquid absorption with porous MAPs, we used polyglycolic acid (PGA) as it is a biodegradable and hydrophilic polymer with high mechanical properties. In this study, we established a nonsolvent‐induced phase separation (NIPS) method for the fabrication of PGA porous MAPs, as the porous MAPs can be fabricated by simply immersing the molds injected with PGA‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol (HFIP) solution in nonsolvents. We achieved the maximum liquid absorption rate of 16 ± 8.2 × 10−2 µL/min per one microneedle using the PGA porous MAPs fabricated by using ethanol as nonsolvent and PGA concentration of 10% (w/w). Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of porous MAPs fabricated using PGA material as well as its characteristics regarding the structural and mechanical properties of PGA MAPs, with potential as a diagnostic device to substitute conventional hypodermic needles for interstitial fluid (ISF) sampling and diagnosis.

Durable Superhydrophobic Coatings with Attapulgite for Inhibiting 5G Radome Rain Attenuation.

5G radomes are easily wetted and stained by rainfall, which greatly reduces the quality of signal transmission. Superhydrophobic coatings are expected to solve this problem because of their unique wettability, but it is still challenging to develop robust superhydrophobic coatings via simple methods. Here, we report the design of robust superhydrophobic coatings containing oxalic acid-modified attapulgite (MDP) for inhibiting rain attenuation of 5G radomes. First, a homogeneous suspension was prepared by nonsolvent-induced phase separation of a silicone-modified polyester adhesive (SMPA) solution containing fluorinated MDP (F-MDP) nanorods. Superhydrophobic coatings can be easily prepared by spraying the suspension. The effects of phase separation and the SMPA/F-MDP ratio on the surface morphology, superhydrophobicity, and stability of the coatings were systematically investigated. The micro-/nanostructure and low surface energy endow the coatings with excellent static and dynamic superhydrophobicity. Compared with previous studies, the coatings exhibit excellent mechanical stability, flexibility, chemical stability, and pressure resistance due to the combined effects of adhesion by SMPA, self-similar micro-/nanostructures, reinforcement by the MDP nanorods, etc. Consequently, the coatings show good performance in preventing rain attenuation of 5G radomes, an emerging application of Superhydrophobic coatings. We believe that the coatings have great application potential in various fields, including 5G communication.

Preparation of TA-O-MoS2/PES mixed matrix ultrafiltration membrane for rare earth wastewater treatment

The trade-off between permeability and selectivity, along with the issue of membrane fouling, has constrained the widespread application of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes in recycling rare earth wastewater. Here, we present the incorporation of tannic acid (TA) modified molybdenum disulfide oxide (O-MoS2) as a functional enhancer to fabricate polyethersulfone (PES) based mixed matrix membranes through a nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) approach. Compared to the unmodified PES membrane, the integration of TA-O-MoS2 significantly improves the hydrophilicity, porosity in the mixed matrix membrane. By altering the concentration of TA-O-MoS2, the TA-O-MoS2/PES UF membrane achieves enhanced hydrophilicity and charge properties, resulting in a remarkable improvement in separation performance. Specifically, the optimized membrane M2 (TA-O-MoS2 addition of 0.1 wt%) exhibits a water flux of 140.98 Lm−2h−1bar−1 and a PEG 20000 rejection rate of 91.00 %, representing increases of 180 % and 120 % over the control PES membrane, respectively. Notably, membrane M2 effectively retains 91.31 % of macromolecular organic compounds in rare earth wastewater, while permitting nearly complete passage of inorganic salts, for instance CaCl2 (3.26 %) and MgSO4 (4.84 %). Moreover, the TA-O-MoS2/PES membrane demonstrates robust antifouling properties and exceptional durability, indicating its significant potential for efficient treatment and resource recovery in rare earth wastewater.

Synergistic effects of deep eutectic solvents on the morphology and performance of polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes

This study investigates the synthesis of flat sheet asymmetric Polysulfone (PSF) membranes using the Non-Solvent Induced Phase Separation (NIPS) method, enhanced by incorporating Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) composed of Choline Chloride (ChCl) and DL-Malic Acid (MA). The research explores the individual and combined effects of ChCl and MA on membrane morphology and performance. Comprehensive characterization techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Universal Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-UATR), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), were employed to analyze the structural and surface properties of the membranes. Key performance metrics such as Pure Water Permeability (PWP), protein and dye rejection, fouling behavior, porosity, surface hydrophilicity, and mechanical strength were evaluated. Results demonstrated that integrating DES into the PSF matrix significantly improved membrane properties. The 3% DES membrane exhibited the highest Pure Water Permeability (PWP) of 186.82 L/m2h/bar, the lowest water contact angle of 68.8°, and optimal balance in surface roughness parameters, leading to superior antifouling properties with high flux recovery ratio (FRR) and balanced reversible (Rr) and irreversible fouling (Rir) components. The ChCl (HBA) membrane displayed a notable PWP of 121.62 L/m2h/bar, large pore sizes (42.72 nm), and moderate surface roughness (Ra of 3.32 nm). In contrast, the MA (HBD) membrane demonstrated the highest hydrophilicity with the lowest contact angle (70.7°) and a compact, robust structure, despite its smallest pore sizes and lack of permeability. The findings underscore the synergistic effect of DES formation in the membrane, improving overall performance for ultrafiltration applications. This study provides valuable insights into the distinct roles of ChCl as an HBA and MA as an HBD in DES-modified PSF membranes, revealing their individual contributions and the importance of optimizing DES components and concentrations for specific filtration applications.

Preparation of Pressure-Resistant and Mechanically Durable Superhydrophobic Coatings via Non-Solvent Induced Phase Separation for Anti-Icing.

Inspired by the lotus leaf effect, superhydrophobic coatings have significant potential in various fields, However, their poor pressure resistance, weak mechanical durability, and complex preparation processes severely limit practical applications. Here, a method for preparing pressure-resistant and durable superhydrophobic coatings by simply spray-coating a phase separation suspension containing fluorinated silica nanoparticles and polyolefin adhesive onto substrates is introduced, which forms superhydrophobic coatings with a porous and hierarchical micro-/nanostructure. The resulting superhydrophobic coatings exhibit outstanding pressure resistance, maintaining a Cassie-Baxte state after 18 days of submersion in 1 m of water. Furthermore, the coatings demonstrate remarkable mechanical durability, withstanding 200 cycles of Taber abrasion, 100 cycles of tape-peeling, and 750g of sand abrasion. The coatings also show excellent chemical stability, enduring long-term immersion in corrosive liquids and 120 d of outdoor exposure. Additionally, the coatings display excellent anti-icing properties and can be applied to various substrate surfaces. This approach improves on the limitations of conventional superhydrophobic coatings and accelerates the application of superhydrophobic coatings in real-world environments.

Toward Predicting the Formation of Integral-Asymmetric, Isoporous Diblock Copolymer Membranes.

The self-assembly and nonsolvent-induced phase separation (SNIPS) process of block copolymers and solvents enables the fabrication of integral-asymmetric, isoporous membranes. An isoporous top layer is formed by evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) and imparts selectivity for ultrafiltration of functional macromolecules or water purification. This selective layer issupported by a macroporous bottom structure that is formed by nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) providing mechanical stability. Thereby the permeability/selectivity tradeoff is optimized. The SNIPS fabrication involves various physical phenomena-e.g.,evaporation, self-assembly, macrophase separation, vitrification - and multiple structural, thermodynamic, kinetic, and process parameters. Optimizing membrane properties and rationally designing fabrication processes is a challenge which particle simulation can significantly contribute to. Using large-scale particle simulations, it is observed that 1) a small incompatibility between matrix-forming block of the copolymer and nonsolvent, 2) a glassy arrest that occurs at a smaller polymer concentration, or 3) a higher dynamical contrast between polymer and solvent results in a finer, spongy substructure, whereas the opposite parameter choice gives rise to larger macropores with an elongated shape. These observations are confirmed by comparison to experiments on polystyrene (PS)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) diblock copolymer membranes, varying the chemical nature of the coagulant or the temperature of coagulationbath.

Mixed matrix membranes by post-modified UiO-66-NH2 for efficient treatment of dyeing wastewater

The preparation of modified membranes utilizing the UiO-66 framework for wastewater filtration is regarded as one of the most promising approaches to wastewater treatment, owing to its high efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In this study, a post-modified MOF, UiO-66-RSA, was synthesized via the condensation reaction of UiO-66-NH2 and 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde. PVDF mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were fabricated for the first time by mixing UiO-66-RSA into PVDF using the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method. Compared to pure PVDF membranes, the newly developed membrane, M4, demonstrated enhanced compatibility and superior mechanical strength. In dyeing wastewater treatment applications, M4 showed excellent separation efficiency for dye and heavy metal mixed wastewater, achieving rejection rates exceeding 90%. Additionally, it maintained a high flux recovery rate (FRR > 90%) and rejection rate (Rejection > 90%) after six filtration cycles of dye-containing wastewater, indicating strong recyclability. These findings suggest that MMMs embedded with UiO-66-RSA hold significant promise for dyeing wastewater treatment.

Eco-friendly, high-hydrophobic polybutylene succinate foam for oil-water separation

Polybutylene succinate (PBS) is an excellent biodegradable resin with good processability and toughness. The inherent hydrophobicity of this material makes it unique for the preparation of oil-water separation materials. In this paper, PBS foams with high hydrophobicity were prepared by the non-solvent induced phase separation (TINIPS) method using N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as a good solvent and anhydrous ethanol as a non-solvent. The effect of PBS concentration on the wettability and micro-morphology of this foam was experimentally investigated. The results showed that the foam had an optimal microporous structure with a water contact angle as high as 145° when the concentration of PBS was 30 %. It was further found that the saturated adsorption capacity of the foam was 5.55–12.39 times its mass and remained strong after 10 adsorption tests. Finally, the environmental adaptability of foams had been studied. The foams maintained their superhydrophobic and oil-absorbing properties in the presence of strong acids, strong bases, saturated sodium chloride solutions, and repeated abrasion. In addition, with the help of a pump-assisted adsorption device, oil-water mixtures can be separated continuously and quickly. This showed that the material had a broad application prospect in oil-water separation.

Nonsolvent-Induced Phase Separation pPAN Separators for Dendrite-Free Rechargeable Aluminum Batteries.

Rechargeable aluminum batteries (RAB) are a promising energy storage system with high safety, long cycle life, and low cost. However, the strong corrosiveness of chloroaluminate ionic liquid electrolytes (ILEs) severely limits the development of RAB separators. Herein, a nonsolvent-induced phase separation strategy was applied to fabricate the pPAN (poly(vinyl alcohol)-modified polyacrylonitrile) separator, which exhibits prominent chemical and electrochemical stability in ILEs. The pPAN separator, owing to its uniform pore size distribution and strong electronegativity with a zeta potential of about -10.20 mV, can effectively inhibit the growth of dendrites. Benefiting from the good ion conductivity (6.38 mS cm-1) and high ion migration number (0.133) of pPAN separator, the full cell with pPAN separator demonstrates stable operation for more than 500 cycles at 600 mA g-1, with a high capacity of 88.8 mAh g-1. When integrating into sodium-ion batteries, the pPAN separators also show an excellent electrochemical performance. This work provides a considerable approach for designing separators to address the issue of Al anode dendrite growth in RABs.

Polyacrylonitrile-blended polyethersulfone separator with greatly improved interface compatibility for lithium-oxygen battery

A novel polyacrylonitrile-blended/polyethersulfone (PES/PAN) separator was developed using the nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) method to improve the poor interfacial compatibility of Li-O2 batteries. Batteries assembled with the represented PES/PAN-2 separator exhibits significantly enhanced stability compared to the pristine PES separator. Its interfacial impedance (425.1 Ω) is one-fifth that of the pure PES separator (2018.1 Ω), while its ionic conductivity (0.70 mS cm−1) is nearly double that of the pristine PES (0.38 mS cm−1). With all these merits, the battery utilizing the PES/PAN-2 separator achieved excellent cycling performance of up to 80 cycles at 1000 mAh g−1, making it a superior choice for high-performance lithium-oxygen batteries.

Enhanced gravity-driven membrane filtration for purifying roof rainwater using multi-walled carbon nanotubes tuned PVDF hollow fiber membranes

The collection and reuse of roof rainwater can alleviate water shortage for daily life. In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride hollow fiber membranes tuned with three multi-walled carbon nanotubes (pure MWCNTs, MWCNTs-COOH, and MWCNTs-OH) were prepared using a non-solvent induced phase separation method for gravity-driven membrane filtration to purify roof rainwater. The results showed that the MWCNTs were distributed on the membrane surface and throughout the porous structure of the cross-section, which changed the pore structure parameters and hydrophilicity. The pure water flux of the MWCNTs tuned membranes increased by 152.5 % at 1.0 bar, and the rejection rates of humic acid and bovine serum albumin increased from 97.4 % and 75.7 % to 98.9 % and 96.3 %, respectively. The extended Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek (xDLVO) theory states that the presence of MWCNTs leads to changes in the physicochemical properties of the membrane surface, resulting in membranes with different anti-fouling behaviors. A gravity-driven membrane filtration test was continuously operated for 100 days, and all membranes removed 25.0–26.7 %, 49.5–53.0 %, and 89.0–93.3 % of total dissolved solids, dissolved organic carbon, and turbidity from roof rainwater, respectively. However, the pure MWCNTs modified membrane with relatively hydrophobic properties showed a 12.4 % increase in flux over the unmodified membrane. Importantly, the presence of the MWCNTs in the membrane changed the microbial diversity in the biofilter cake layer.

Highly mechanically stable and intrinsically stretchable large-area organic photovoltaics using nanoporous bulk-heterojunction

It is important to develop bulk-heterojunction films that simultaneously exhibit good photovoltaic properties and mechanical robustness to realize intrinsically stretchable organic photovoltaics (IS-OPVs). We developed a strategy for preparing nanoporous bulk-heterojunction (np-BHJ) films at a large area by nonsolvent-induced phase separation assisted by thermoplastic polyurethane. The resulting np-BHJ can form much improved adhesive interfaces with a neighbored stretchable layer in OPV devices and effectively dissipate applied mechanical stress. IS-OPVs using the np-BHJ films showed efficiency of 12.0 %, which is comparable performance to 12.4 % of the controlled BHJ. The IS-OPV device using np-BHJ films much improved mechanical stability and maintained 89 % of its initial efficiency under applied strain of 40 %. The corresponding module showed only 10 % decrease in efficiency after 1,000 cycles in stretching tests at 10 % strain. Because of high scalability of the np-BHJ morphology, IS-OPV modules with efficiency of 7.06 % and active area of 10.17 cm2 and were successfully demonstrated. Photoplethysmography sensors prepared using the IS-OPV module showed strong potential for application in wearable electronics.

Additive-free preparation of hemodialysis membranes from silibinin-modified polysulfone polymer with enhanced performance in anti-oxidative stress and hemocompatibility

Oxidative stress is highly prevalent in maintenance hemodialysis patients and increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Silibinin (SLB) is a plant extract with excellent antioxidant effects. The polymer of polysulfone (PSF) grafted SLB (PSF-g-SLB) was synthesized using a two-step approach, and the PSF-g-SLB membrane, a porogen-additive-free blood purification membranes made up of simply the polymer and solvent, was fabricated via the nonsolvent induced phase separation method. The results showed that, with increasing the grafting rate of PSF-g-SLB, the hydrophilicity, antioxidant properties, and the stability of free radical scavenging rate of the PSF-g-SLB membranes were improved. Furthermore, platelet-erythrocyte adhesion and hemolysis rate were decreased, and coagulation time was prolonged. The PSF-g-SLB membrane exhibits significant potential for being compatible with hemocompatibility, biocompatibility, and antioxidant properties. Therefore, the application of PSF-g-SLB membranes could alleviate oxidative stress in patients during hemodialysis.

Polymer‐Sorbent Direct Air Capture Contactors with Complex Geometries 3D‐Printed via Templated Phase Inversion

AbstractLow‐cost direct air capture (DAC) systems require efficient gas–solid contactors. These contactors provide rapid rates of heat and mass transport with minimal pressure drops. Triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) are a class of geometries that are shown to have heat transfer properties that exceed those of other geometries, and these benefits are expected to manifest in mass transfer as well due to the analogies between heat and mass transfer. However, creating TPMS contactors is difficult using conventional manufacturing techniques such as injection molding. Non‐solvent‐induced phase separation (NIPS) of a polymeric ink containing the adsorbent is one way to construct adsorption contactors with excellent mass transport rates, but contactors have to date only been fabricated in simple geometries (e.g., films, fibers). This study demonstrates that NIPS of polymeric inks occurs within a simultaneously‐dissolving, water‐soluble, 3D‐printed template. This templated phase inversion (TPI) technique can create seemingly unlimited macroscopic architectures, including TPMS contactors, using a variety of potential DAC adsorbents, including zeolite, silica, activated carbon, and metal–organic frameworks. SEM, micro‐computed tomography, and nitrogen adsorption experiments reveal the microscopic pore structures and macroscopic geometries of the resulting sorbent contactors. TPMS DAC contactors with poly(ethyleneimine)/silica adsorbents are shown to have CO2 capture performances that rival or exceed other contactor geometries.

A Review on the Application of Deep Eutectic Solvents in Polymer-Based Membrane Preparation for Environmental Separation Technologies.

The use of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the preparation of polymer membranes for environmental separation technologies is comprehensively reviewed. DESs have been divided into five categories based on the hydrogen bond donor (HBD) and acceptor (HBA) that are involved in the production of the DESs, and a wide range of DESs' physicochemical characteristics, such as density, surface tension, viscosity, and melting temperature, are initially gathered. Furthermore, the most popular techniques for creating membranes have been demonstrated and discussed, with a focus on the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method. Additionally, a number of studies have been reported in which DESs were employed as pore formers, solvents, additives, or co-solvents, among other applications. The addition of DESs to the manufacturing process increased the presence of finger-like structures and macrovoids in the cross-section and, on numerous occasions, had a substantial impact on the overall porosity and pore size. Performance data were also gathered for membranes made for various separation technologies, such as ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF). Lastly, DESs provide various options for the functionalization of membranes, such as the creation of various liquid membrane types, with special focus on supported liquid membranes (SLMs) for decarbonization technologies, discussed in terms of permeability and selectivity of several gases, including CO2, N2, and CH4.