The acrylic functionalization of polysulfone (PSU) has been an attractive strategy to improve the chemical stability of polysulfone based membranes but this modification has also led to significant drop in the flux when compared with pristine polysulfone. While pristine polysulfone membranes, developed through phase separation, are not resistant to majority of organic solvents.<br/><br/>In order to overcome the aforementioned discrepancy; the current research was aimed to modulate the morphology and the performance of membranes in a way that a cross-linked network is developed for chemical stability and the pores morphology is retained for sufficient flux. For this purpose we incorporated two structurally different di acrylates, bisphenol A ethoxylate di acrylate (BEDA) and poly (ethylene glycol) di acrylate (PEGDA), into 15% PSU soln. in DMF. We optimized all the related parameters like percentage of acrylic functionality, total energy (UV) dose to ensure a cross linked network, wet thickness of the membranes and controlled non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS). The thin films containing PSU, acrylic monomer and photo initiator, phenylbis (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphine oxide (BAPO), were casted on glass substrate, UV cured and subjected to NIPS.<br/><br/>The UV curing behaviour, thermo - mechanical and morphological properties of membranes were fully investigated. The performance of membranes was evaluated in terms of static contact angle, dead-end flux, qualitative solvent resistance and latex 20 nm particles rejection. The best formulation, 10 % BEDA functionalized PSU, was found to have 241 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 flux, 92 % rejection of Latex 20 nm particles and resistant to DMF, THF, DMSO, acetone, toluene, and ethyl acetate after 120 hours of immersion. The developed membranes, as per best of our knowledge, exhibited performance far better than previously reported. The flux obtained is also higher than commercially available PVDF based solvent resistant membranes.

Promising chemical stable membranes developed through combined effect of radical polymerization and non-solvent induced phase separation of acrylic functionalized polysulfone

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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