To
synthesize evenly grafted copolymers, gamma radiation of homogeneous
solutions was employed to graft poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate
(PEGMA) onto polyethersulfone (PES). The grafting was verified by
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the degrees of grafting
(DGs) were determined by elementary analysis. The PES-
g
-polyPEGMA copolymers with different DGs were obtained by changing
the monomer concentration. Membranes were cast from pristine PES,
PES/PEG blends, and PES-
g
-polyPEGMA with different
DGs, respectively, via nonsolvent-induced phase separation. Results
from water contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscopy
analysis indicated that increasing DGs led to PES-
g
-polyPEGMA membranes with increasing hydrophilicity and porousness.
Filtration experimental results showed that increasing DGs without
adding pore-forming agents caused PES-
g
-polyPEGMA
membranes with higher permeability. Compared with PES/PEG membranes
with analogous permeation characteristics, in which PEG is added as
a pore-forming agent, PES-
g
-polyPEGMA membranes exhibited
superior antifouling properties.