Thermo-responsive copolymers with ionic group as novel draw solutes for forward osmosis processes

• Published in: Macromolecular research 2014, 22(9), , pp.963-970
• Main Authors: Kim, Jin-joo, Chung, Jae-Seung, Kang, Hyo, Yu, Yun Ah, Choi, Won Jae, Kim, Hee Joong, Lee, Jong-Chan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Nanochemistry; Nanotechnology; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Soft and Granular Matter; 고분자공학
• ISSN: 1598-5032; 2092-7673
• DOI: 10.1007/s13233-014-2142-6

Thermo-responsive copolymers containing ionic groups (P(MT x EO y ), where x and y are the feed molar percent of [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (MTAC) and 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MEO), respectively) were synthesized via free radical polymerization using MTAC and MEO as monomers, in order to use the copolymers as a draw solute in a forward osmosis (FO) system. The osmotic pressure and lower critical solution temperature (LCST) could be controlled by changing the composition of the copolymers. For example, P(MT 25 EO 75 ) shows a relatively high osmotic pressure of 0.909 Osmol/kg at 0.2 g/mL, and P(MT 5 EO 95 ) shows a LCST close to room temperature at 32 °C. When P(MT 20 EO 80 ) was used as a draw solute in the FO system, a reasonable water permeation flux value of 5.45 Lm −2 h −1 at 0.1 g/mL was observed and the draw solute (P(MT 20 EO 80 )) could be recovered with a very large draw solute recovery value of 99.80% from the draw solutions by heating to 70 °C, above the LCST, followed by a microfiltration process. Therefore, it is expected that such copolymer system could be a prospective candidate as a draw solute in the FO system.