Providing sustainable supplies of purified water and energy is a critical global challenge for the future, and polymer membranes will play a key role in addressing these clear and pressing global needs for water and energy. Controlling rates of water and/or ion transport in these membranes is critical for efficient separation processes (e.g., water purification or dialysis) and energy technologies (e.g., flow batteries or reverse electrodialysis). Much remains unknown about the influence of polymer structure on intrinsic water and ion transport properties, and these relationships must be developed to design next generation polymer membrane materials. Here, we report and discuss measurements and modeling related to the influence of chemical functionality on rates of water and ion transport in hydrated polymers. Our results demonstrate how polymer properties (e.g., backbone rigidity, functional group type, and/or polarizability) can be engineered to enhance selective transport via thermodynamic and kinetic contributions to the transport process.

Controlling water and ion transport in hydrated polymer membranes via chemical functionality

2019 Fall National Meeting

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