2 research outputs found
Ultrafiltration Membranes with a Thin Poly(styrene)‑<i>b</i>‑poly(isoprene) Selective Layer
Ultrafiltration
membranes with an 80 nm thick block polymer derived selective layer
containing 20 nm cylindrical pores were prepared by removing polyÂ(lactide)
(PLA) from a polyÂ(styrene)-<i>b</i>-polyÂ(isoprene)-<i>b</i>-polyÂ(lactide) (PS-PI-PLA) film onto a microporous polymer
support. The block polymer film adopted a coreÂ(PLA)-shellÂ(PI) cylindrical
morphology in which vertically-oriented PLA cylinders were degraded
to leave PI-lined channels in a PS matrix. Thanks to the combination
of PS and PI in the nanoporous matrix, chemical cross-linking was
not needed to provide mechanical stability in the thin film. The membranes
showed a hydraulic flux of 165 L m<sup>–2</sup> h<sup>–1</sup> bar<sup>–1</sup> and were able to size-discriminate polyÂ(ethylene
oxide) (PEO) solutes in agreement with theoretical predictions