Generation of porous polymer surfaces by solvent–nonsolvent treatment

A method to generate a porous region near the surface of a polymer is suggested. In this method the region near the surface is swollen by immersing the polymer for a short time in a solvent. Subsequently, the polymer is introduced in a nonsolvent (for the polymer) that is, however, miscible with the solvent. The formation of the porous region is a result of (1) the swelling accompanied by the disentanglement of the surface molecular chains, and the dissolution of some of them during the immersion in the solvent, and (2) the rapid extraction of the solvent from the swollen region by the nonsolvent. The porous surface provides a matrix into which a second incompatible monomer can be polymerized so that the two otherwise incompatible polymers can adhere to one another.     

Adhesion Properties of Lightly Crosslinked Solvent-Swollen Polymer Gels

Polymer gels are crosslinked polymer networks, highly swollen with solvent. For practical gel applications adhesion to a wide range of substrates over a broad range of temperatures is desired. In this article the adhesive properties of two types of solvent-swollen elastomers were studied, utilizing a combination of tack, contact mechanics, and peel adhesion methods. The first gel was a crosslinked polybutadiene swollen with common polymer plasticizers, while the second was a commercially available silicone with high extractables content. Nominally, these solvent-swollen materials exhibit similar adhesive characteristics to nonsolvent swollen elastomers including: (1) an increase in tack adhesion energies with increasing pull-off rates and decreasing temperatures in the rubbery region, (2) qualitative correlation between the rheological loss tangent for the gel and the gel adhesion energy, (3) fibrillation and extension during adhesion testing for gels with a shear modulus value less than 10⁵ Pa in the plateau region, and (4) a decrease in the adhesion energy with increasing crosslink density. However, the presence of solvent in the elastomer can lead to solvent exclusion effects that degrade tack adhesion and must be considered for gel design in practical applications.     

Preparation of porous membrane by combined use of thermally induced phase separation and immersion precipitation

By immersion in the cooled nonsolvent, PMMA porous membrane was prepared by the combined use of thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) and immersion precipitation. As nonsolvent, water with low mutual affinity with cyclohexanol (diluent) and methanol with high affinity were used. In the case of water, the porous structure was formed by TIPS immediately after the immersion. Near the top surface contacted with the nonsolvent, the thin skin layer was formed due to the outflow of the diluent. After the long immersion period, macrovoids were formed near the top surface due to the penetration of the nonsolvent. Thus, TIPS and the immersion precipitation occurred serially. On the contrary, TIPS and the immersion precipitation occurred simultaneously in the case of methanol because the inflow of methanol was fast. Therefore, the membrane obtained after the short immersion period had the larger pores near the top surface due to the nonsolvent induced phase separation and the smaller pores near the bottom surface due to TIPS. These two modes of the phase separations were confirmed by the changes in light transmittance through the polymer solutions.     

Controllable morphology and wettability of polymer microspheres prepared by nonsolvent assisted electrospraying

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres with various morphologies are fabricated by nonsolvent assisted electrospraying. The morphology evolution is determined by nonsolvent properties including the solubility parameter, surface tension and viscosity, and nonsolvent induced phase separation is the main reason for the formation of the porous and/or hollow structures. It is found that nonsolvent possessing a high surface tension is beneficial to the formation of a hollow structure, while the large phase separation tendency between nonsolvent and the polymer can promote pore generation on the sphere surface. The nanosized pores, especially hierarchical pores, can enhance the hydrophobicity of the substrate surface coated with these microspheres. On the other hand, nonsolvent with a large viscosity could prevent the growth of the phase separated nuclei, leading to the presence of relatively small and discontinuous pores on the microsphere surface, which can finally cause the decrease of the contact angles. The surface pores of the electrosprayed microspheres are even eliminated if polymer additive, i.e., PVP, is incorporated into the polymer-solvent-nonsolvent solution. The addition of PVP renders the microsphere coated surface hydrophilic, which can be completely wetted by water droplets.     

Phase separation phenomena of polysulfone/solvent/organic nonsolvent and polyethersulfone/solvent/organic nonsolvent systems

The precipitation values (PVs) of several organic nonsolvents in polysulfone (PSf)/solvent and polyethersulfone (PESf)/solvent systems were measured in temperatures ranging from 10 to 80°C by the direct titration method and compared with those of water in the same systems. The solvents used were N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC); the organic nonsolvents employed were methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 1-pentanol, ethylene glycol, and diethylene glycol as well as acetic acid and propionic acid. The compositions of nonsolvent, polymer, and solvent at the precipitation points for different polymer concentrations up to 10 wt % were also determined at 30°C with respect to both the polymers and six nonsolvents presented. These results were used to obtain the polymer precipitation curves in the polymer-solvent-nonsolvent triangular phase diagrams and to determine the theta composition of solvent-nonsolvent for a polymer. The results show that the precipitation value of nonsolvent in polymer/solvent systems depends on both the nature of polymer, solvent, and nonsolvent used and the temperature. The effect of temperature on the precipitation value was observed to be dramatically different for different polymer/solvent/nonsolvent systems. These results were explained on the basis of polar and nonpolar interactions of the polymer, solvent, and nonsolvent system. The results indicate that the precipitation values of the type presented in this paper not only give a relative measure of the nonsolvent tolerance of the polymer/solvent system involved and the strength of solvent and nonsolvent for the polymer, but also determine the relative location of the polymer precipitation curve in the triangular phase diagram. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Preparation of defect-free asymmetric membranes for gas separations

A technique was developed to prepare defect-free, asymmetric, polymer membranes for gas separation. The preparation method eliminates the need for coatings, which are usually required to render asymmetric, polymer based, membranes gas selective. In this method, a casting solution containing a polymer, solvent, and salt additive is given a desired shape and immersed in a coagulation bath containing a nonsolvent. The nonsolvent is selected to have a low affinity for both the solvent and salt additive. After the complete coagulation of the membrane, the additive salt is leached out in a second bath. This leads to the formation of an asymmetric membrane that has a well-interconnected porous network. The fine membrane structure is preserved by solvent exchange before it is finally dried. Polyetherimide (PEI) (Ultem® 1000) membranes were prepared from casting solutions containing 23, 25, and 26.5% (wt) PEI, various amounts of lithium nitrate and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP). Membrane performance was determined for the separation of oxygen from air. The effects of polymer concentration, additive salt concentration and the drying process on oxygen permeance, and the actual separation factor of the membrane are discussed. The addition of a small amount of solvent to the coagulation bath improved the leaching of the salt additive and produced membranes with a more open structure. A polymer concentration of 23% produced membranes with the highest performance. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 1471–1482, 1999     

Studies on solvent evaporation and polymer precipitation pertinent to the formation of asymmetric polyetherimide membranes

The characteristics of solvent evaporation and polymer precipitation during the formation of asymmetric aromatic polyetherimide (PEI) membranes via the dry/wet phase inversion method are studied and the results are discussed with reference to membrane preparation. It is shown that the solvent evaporation from the surface of freshly cast films in early evaporation stages can be quantified by an empirical equation with two parameters. Analysis of the evaporation parameters partially explains the interaction effect of membrane preparation variables on membrane performance. The phase separation data for systems PEI/DMAc/H₂O and PEI/NMP/H₂O with and without LiNO₃ additive are determined using the turbidimetric titration method. The kinetic data on solvent–nonsolvent exchange and additive leaching during polymer precipitation in nonsolvent water are measured. The results presented here offer a qualitative basis for the development of asymmetric PEI membranes. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Diffusive and bulk flow transport in polymers

The transport properties of polymer membranes in various forms which have a wide variety of practical applications, such as ultrafiltration, dialysis and blood oxygenation, depend upon the structure (homogeneous or heterogeneous) and the transport characteristics of the membrane material. Among many possible driving forces of transport, the pressure gradient and the concentration gradient are considered to be the most general forces encountered in practical use of polymer membranes. The transport of various permeants (gas, dissolved gas, liquid solvent, and solute) through porous and homogeneous (nonporous) polymer membranes under these driving forces is discussed. In the absence of a pressure gradient, the transport of permeants can be described as diffusion, regardless of the permeant phase and the membrane structure. In the presence of a pressure gradient, the transport of permeants may occur by diffusion and/or bulk flow of the permeants, depending upon the membrane structure and the nature of the permeant. In homogeneous membranes, many noninteracting permeants such as gases and nonsolvent vapors permeate by diffusion under applied pressure gradient: however, solvent in homogeneously swollen membranes moves by bulk flow and the diffusion depending on the degree of swelling of the membrane. In heterogeneous membranes under applied pressure, most permeants move by bulk flow.     

Correlation between the porous structure of polystyrene and its discolouring ability

Porous polystyrene was prepared according to the following methods by variation of the production parameters: (A) Method based on the suspension polymerization using a nonsolvent of the polymer. (B) Method based on the dissolution of polystyrene in a solvent and then precipitation using a nonsolvent of the polymer. The molecular weight of the polymer, its structure using Hg-porosimetry, and the microscopic pattern of the polymer grains were determined. The ability of the produced polystyrene to discolour aqueous solutions of different dyes (mainly methylene blue) was also examined. From the correlation between porous structure and discolouring ability in comparison with corresponding discolouring examination of other adsorptive agents (activated carbon) the importance of the following parameters was found out and evaluated: (a) total value of pore volume or pore volume distribution, (b) intermediate part of pore distribution 10000 – 100 Å for the adsorption of the given dyes, (c) shape of pores, which are different in method A and B (the comparison of produced polystyrene by different production parameters should be done only by independent methods and not between A and B method). It also resulted that it is necessary to introduce appropriate groups into the molecules of the porous polystyrene in order to increase the adsorption rate of an ionic or a polar substance. In conclusion, by appropriate choice of the production parameters of porous polystyrene a product with the desired characteristics of porosity could be produced.     

MORPHOLOGY AND TRANSPORT STUDY OF PHASE INVERSION POLYSULFONE MEMBRANES

Two different types of polysulfone (PS) membranes were prepared by the phase inversion process utilizing water or isopropanol as nonsolvent. The Flory-Huggins theory for a ternary system nonsolvent/solvent/polymer is applied to describe the'thermodynamic equilibria of the components. The calculated ternary phase equilibria show that demixing of a PS binary solution with n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) will be fast in a water coagulation bath and will be delayed in an isopropanol bath. The prepared membranes were characterized by SEM, gas adsorption-desorption technique, and permeability measurements. The membrane, which is precipitated by fast demixing in a water bath, has nodular structures in the skin region and includes finger-like cavities in the sublayer. The membrane coagulated by isopropanol has a very dense and thick skin structure, which is formed by delayed demixing. The membrane coagulated by isopropanol showed considerably lower pore volume and surface area compared to that observed with water coagulation method.     

Synthesis and characterization of porous poly(methacrylic acid‐co‐triethylene glycol dimethacrylate) by seed emulsion polymerization

Porous poly(methacrylic acid‐co‐triethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (poly MAA‐co‐3G) particles in the size range of 10–40 μm were prepared via seed emulsion polymerization. Mixtures of linear polymer, solvent, and/or nonsolvent were used as inert diluents. The prepared porous polymer was converted using hydroxylamine hydrochloride and sodium methoxide into the corresponding poly(hydroxamic acid). The surface area of the porous copolymer particles was determined colorimetrically. The effect of the diluent type and concentration on the surface area of the prepared porous polymer was examined. The metal ion absorption capacity of the resin toward the different metal ions was examined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The thermal stability of the polymers was examined by thermal gravimetric analysis. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 1209–1215, 2000     

Formation,morphology and control of high-performance biomedical polyurethane porous membranes by water micro-droplet induced phase inversion

Biomedical polyurethane (BPU) porous membranes with controlled morphology and excellent permeability and mechanical properties were prepared via a method involving a phase inversion induced by water micro-droplets, which were generated by an ultrasonic atomizer. The cross-section morphology, air permeability and mechanical properties of the porous membranes were investigated. The SEM images demonstrated that the adjacent pores were connected by a micro-hole, serving as a “backdoor” for the pore. An interconnected porous structure was obtained, improving the air permeability of the BPU membrane relative to the membrane produced by immersion precipitation. Our studies indicated that the diameter of the pores in the membrane depended on the solution viscosity, allowing porous membranes with a desired morphology to be obtained by adjusting the polymer concentration and solution viscosity. The application of micro-droplets of water during membrane preparation reduced the exchange rate between the solvent and nonsolvent, resulting in the microphase separation of polymer molecules and the formation of a uniform porous structure in the membrane, which improved the air permeability and mechanical properties of the BPU porous membranes. This is a simple and effective preparation method for high-performance porous membranes with potential applications in tissue engineering scaffolds, controlled-release drug delivery and vascular grafts.     

Investigation of porous polydimethylsiloxane structures with tunable properties induced by the phase separation technique

This article reports the fabrication and characterization of porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) structures developed by the solvent evaporation-induced phase separation technique. Ternary systems containing water/tetrahydrofuran (THF)/PDMS with various concentrations are produced to form a stable solution. The porous PDMS structures are formed by removing the solvent (THF) and nonsolvent (water) phases during the stepping heat treatment procedure. The analytical ternary phase diagram is constructed based on the thermodynamic equilibrium state in the polymer solution to explain the stable/unstable formulations and the possible composition change path. The results show that the isolated pores with the adjustable pore size ranging from 330 to 1900 μm are obtained by tuning the water to the THF ratio. The mechanical properties of the porous PDMS structures are determined by conducting the tensile tests on the prepared dog bone-shaped specimens. A wide range of elastic modulus ranging between 0.49 and 1.05 MPa was achieved without affecting the density of the porous sample by adjusting the solvent and non-solvent content in the solution. It is shown that the flexibility of the porous structures can be improved by reducing the ratio of water to THF and decreasing the PDMS content. The porosity measurements reveal that the PDMS concentration is the major phase controlling the porosity of the structure, while the effect of water/THF is negligible.     

Swelling of porous styrene–divinylbenzene copolymers in water

The swelling capacity of porous styrene–divinylbenzene (DVB) copolymers in water was studied by displacing methanol from the swollen polymer. The copolymers with different amounts of DVB were prepared in the presence of solvents with different solvating powers as inert diluents. Using a solvating solvent or its mixture with a nonsolvent as diluent, most of the obtained copolymers increase their volume in water, and the increase in volume becomes more significant with increasing the degree of crosslinking in some range of the DVB contents. The swelling capacity in water for the same copolymers with a high degree of crosslinking is linearly dependent on the dilution degree in the initial reaction mixture, to some extent. The unusual swelling behaviors in water were explained by the inner strain, which existed mainly in the less crosslinked domains between the highly crosslinked microgel particles, which are released in the course of swelling of the copolymers. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 536–544, 2000     

A rationale for the preparation of asymmetric pervaporation membranes

Pervaporation is carried out primarily with homogeneous membranes. An improvement in permeation rate can be achieved by using asymmetric or composite membranes. In order to maintain a high selectivity, very dense top layers are needed. The formation of asymmetric pervaporation membranes will be discussed in terms of the model proposed by our group: formation of the top layer by gelation; formation of the porous sublayer by liquid–liquid phase separation followed by gelation of the concentrated polymer phase. To obtain very dense top layers the following factors are important: the ratio of nonsolvent inflow and solvent outflow, polymer concentration, location of the liquid–liquid demixing gap, and location of the gel region. Asymmetric membranes have been prepared by varying these factors, and the obtained membranes have been tested on ethanol/water mixtures.     

Synthesis,structure, and properties of new methacrylic derivatives of naphthalene‐2,3‐diol

The synthesis of a new monomer, 2,3‐(2‐hydroxy‐3‐methacryloyloxypropoxy)naphthalene, and its copolymerization with divinylbenzene is presented. This monomer was obtained from naphthalene‐2,3‐diol in a two‐step synthesis. Copolymers in the form of porous microspheres were prepared by a suspension‐emulsion polymerization method. As pore‐forming diluents, toluene, 1‐decanol, benzyl alcohol, and their mixtures were used. In studies of their porous structure, two methods were used: the adsorption of nitrogen at low temperatures, which provided information about the porous structure of the material in a dry state, and inverse exclusion chromatography, which provided information about the porous structure of the polymer swollen by a good solvent. The obtained results suggest that the porous structures for the dry and swollen polymers were different. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 1886–1895, 2006     

Physical and electrochemical characterizations of poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene)/SiO2‐based polymer electrolytes prepared by the phase‐inversion technique

Highly porous poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF–HFP)‐based polymer membranes filled with fumed silica (SiO₂) were prepared by a phase‐inversion technique, and films were also cast by a conventional casting method for comparison. N‐Methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone as a solvent was used to dissolve the polymer and to make the slurry with SiO₂. Phase inversion occurred just after the impregnation of the applied slurry on a glass plate into flowing water as a nonsolvent, and then a highly porous structure developed by mutual diffusion between the solvent and nonsolvent components. The PVdF–HFP/SiO₂ cast films and phase‐inversion membranes were then characterized by an examination of the morphology, thermal and crystalline properties, absorption ability of an electrolyte solution, ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability, and interfacial resistance with a lithium electrode. LiPF₆ (1M) dissolved in a liquid mixture of ethylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate (1:1 w/w) was used as the electrolyte solution. Through these characterizations, the phase‐inversion polymer electrolytes were proved to be superior to the cast‐film electrolytes for application to rechargeable lithium batteries. In particular, phase‐inversion PVdF–HFP/SiO₂ (30–40 wt %) electrolytes could be recommended to have optimum properties for the application. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 140–148, 2006     

Effect of Casting Solution on Morphology and Performance of PVDF Microfiltration Membranes

The effects of preparation‐influencing parameters such as polymer concentration, thickness of casting solution, and type of solvent on morphology and performance of poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) microfiltration membranes for the treatment of emulsified oily wastewater were investigated. Flat‐sheet membranes were prepared from a casting solution of polymer and additive in various solvents by immersing the prepared films in nonsolvent‐containing mixtures of water and 2‐propanol. The membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. Increasing the polymer concentration and membrane thickness significantly affected the pore size, leading to permeate flux decrease. An attempt was made to correlate the effect of the solvent on membrane morphology and performance employing solubility parameters between solvent and nonsolvent).     

The formation of nodular structures in the top layer of ultrafiltration membranes

The formation of nodular structures in the top layer of ultrafiltration membranes is considered. A critical review of mechanisms described in the literature is given. Flat-sheet poly(ether sulfone) membranes and hollow-fiber poly(ether sulfone)/polyvinylpyrrolidone membranes were made by coagulation of a polymer solution in a nonsolvent medium under different circumstances. From these experiments, a number of empirical rules are found to describe the resulting morphology of the top layer. A new mechanism for the formation of a nodular structure is proposed. It is based on the small diffusion coefficient of the polymer molecules compared to the diffusion coefficient of solvent and nonsolvent combined with a high degree of entanglement of the polymer network. For unstable compositions, phase separation will proceed by growth in amplitude of concentration fluctuations. The rapid diffusional exchange of solvent for nonsolvent in the top layer leads to vitrification of the maxima of the concentration fluctuations that form the nodules. Complete disentanglement of the polymer chains between the nodules is not reached, which explains the small pores and the low porosity of ultrafiltration membranes. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.