Method and Membrane for Nanoporous, Bicontinuous Cubic Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Polymer Membranes that Enable Facile Film Processing and Pore Size Control

摘要

A method of forming a nanoporous membrane includes preparing a solution of a gemini Imidazolium Lyotropic Liquid Crystal (LLC) monomer, a polar low-volatility organic solvent, and a radical photo-initiator in a volatile organic solvent; solvent-casting the solution onto a porous material, evaporating the volatile organic solvent; heating such that the gemini imidazolium monomer forms a Q-phase material and photopolymerizing the imidazolium monomer by exposing the radical photo-initiator to UV light; and exchanging the polar low-volatility organic solvent. Also disclosed is a membrane composed of polymerized gemini imidazolium LLC monomers, and a thin-film composite membrane having the Q-phase material supported on a porous supporting membrane.

主权项

1. A method of forming a nanoporous membrane comprising:
preparing a solution of a gemini imidazolium lyotropic liquid crystal monomer, a polar low-volatility organic solvent, and a radical photo-initiator in a volatile organic solvent; solvent-casting the solution onto a porous material; evaporating the volatile organic solvent; heating to a temperature such that the gemini imidazolium monomer forms a Q-phase material; photopolymerizing the imidazolium monomer by exposing the radical photo-initiator to light; and removing the polar low-volatility organic solvent.