Thermo-Responsive Polyethersulfone Composite Membranes Blended with Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Nanogels

Thermo‐responsive composite polyethersulfone (PES) membranes blended with monodisperse poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanogels were prepared from blends of PES solution and PNIPAM nanogels by phase inversion. The monodisperse and spherical PNIPAM thermo‐responsive nanogels were synthesized by...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemical engineering & technology 2012-11, Vol.35 (11), p.2015-2022
Main Authors: Wang, G., Xie, R., Ju, X.-J., Chu, L.-Y.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Chemical engineering
Composite membranes
Exact sciences and technology
Phase inversion
Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanogels
Polyethersulfone membranes
Thermo-responsive membranes
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Summary:Thermo‐responsive composite polyethersulfone (PES) membranes blended with monodisperse poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanogels were prepared from blends of PES solution and PNIPAM nanogels by phase inversion. The monodisperse and spherical PNIPAM thermo‐responsive nanogels were synthesized by precipitation polymerization. The blended PNIPAM nanogels did not affect the formation of the finger‐like pore structure of the PES membrane but resulted in microporous structures. The water flux across the composite membrane at temperatures above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM was much higher than that below the LCST because of thermo‐responsive shrinking/swelling of the PNIPAM nanogels, and the thermo‐responsive permeation characteristics were affected by the content of blended PNIPAM nanogels. The thermo‐responsive permeation performance of the composite membranes was reversible and reproducible. Thermo‐responsive composite polyethersulfone (PES) membranes blended with monodisperse homogeneous poly(N‐isopropylacryl‐amide) (PNIPAM) nanogels were prepared from blends of PES solution and PNIPAM nanoparticles by phase inversion technique. The membranes exhibit satisfactorily reversible and reproducible thermo‐responsive permeation performance.
ISSN:0930-7516
1521-4125
DOI:10.1002/ceat.201200235