C60 fullerene-containing polymer stars in mixed matrix membranes

Abstract

Star-shaped macromolecules with C 60 fullerene branching centers were used as modifiers of poly(2.6-dimethyl-1.4-phenylene oxide) matrix to obtain mixed matrix membranes. Two types of star modifiers were synthesized i) six-arms star with six polystyrene arms grafted onto C 60 center and ii) twelve-arms hybrid star with six polystyrene arms and six copolymer poly(2-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(tert-butylmethacrylate) arms grafted onto C 60 center. The membrane structures were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The transport properties of the membranes were determined by using sorption and pervaporation tests toward methanol and ethylene glycol over a wide concentration range. All membranes showed high affinity for methanol. The separation factor reached its maximum level at 5 wt% modifier concentration in the membrane. Polar hybrid arms were shown to change the membranes' morphologies and considerably improve their transport properties.

A Review of Recent Developments of Pervaporation Membranes for Ethylene Glycol Purification

“…The use of mixed matrix polymer materials is another approach to the development of novel membranes. Hence, a number of studies carried out by Polotskaya et al [ 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 ] were devoted to the development of MMMs based on PPO containing hybrid macromolecules as fillers, as well as to a further investigation of their performance in the pervaporation of methanol/EG mixture.…”

“…In order to understand the effect of the polymer star structure on properties of hybrid membranes, Polotskaya et al [ 81 ] and Vinogradova et al [ 82 ] investigated the simplest model polymer stars (fullerene-containing polystyrene (FPS) that had only six arms of nonpolar PS). The FPS was added to PPO matrix in various amounts (up to 5 wt.%), and the effect of FPS presence, feed composition, and operating temperature on the PPO/FPS separation performance was studied.…”