Double Stimuli-Responsive Perforated Lamellar Structure Formed by Linear ABC Triblock Terpolymer Monoliths
Résumé
Amphiphilic block copolymer (BCP) thick films with stimuli-responsive pores are promising candidates for the manufacturing of next-generation ultrafiltration (UF) membranes since their smart nanochannels facilitates the removal of fouling which is considered as one of the biggest challenges in membrane technology. In this work, a well-defined polystyrene-blockpoly(2-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PS-b-P2VP-b-PNIPAM) terpolymer was prepared for the first time via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The combination of the nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) process with a solvent vapor annealing (SVA) treatment was used to produce nanostructured pH-and thermo-double sensitive ABC-type BCP thick films. Here, the NIPS-made PS-b-P2VPb-PNIPAM thick film, comprising a microporous spinodal-type network substructure, topped by a dense thin layer of poorly defined nanopores is transformed into a monolith entirely composed of a well-ordered perforated lamellar (PL) phase upon exposure to a chloroform vapor during 6h. Such kind of PL-structured monoliths, showing a permeance value as high as 18 L.h-1 .m-².bar-1 at 46°C and pH = 7 with an excellent temperature cyclability, are highly desired to manufacture smart separation-based UF materials able to transit their pore state from hydrophilic to hydrophobic (and vice versa), thereby leading to much more efficient detachment of foulants during the cleaning process.
Domaines
MatériauxOrigine | Fichiers produits par l'(les) auteur(s) |
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