Special Issue "Polymer Thin Films and Membranes"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Charles Rogers
Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106-7202, USA
Website: http://polymers.case.edu/people/faculty/rogers.htm
E-Mail: cer@case.edu
Phone: +1 216 3686376
Fax: +1 216 3684202
Interests: Solution, diffusion and permeation; separation membranes; electronic and electrochemical membranes; degradation and other environmental effects on polymers; mechanical properties, deformation and fatigue of polymers; multi-component polymer systems; adhesion and adhesives, sealants and coatings; surface science and technology

Dear Colleagues,

Synthetic membrane technology has achieved a startling rate of development over the last three decades. Many, if not most, of the membrane materials useful for separation processes, drug release, reactor media, and other applications are dependent on the formation and properties of thin films, often ultra-thin surface or interfacial films. Our understanding of these systems involves knowledge of the relationships between materials composition, structure and properties as affected by processing and end-use conditions. A better understanding of the scientific basis of these relationships would serve as a stimulus and guide for obtaining even more dramatic systems and applications. Areas of great promise and much accomplishment are the substitution of synthetic materials for natural biological or botanical membranes, extension of the scope of viable separation membrane applications and formation of complex membrane reactor systems. All of these areas, and others, would benefit greatly from such an increase in knowledge. This Special Issue is intended to provide a means for communicating studies that increase our scientific knowledge of thin film and membrane systems. Its content also will reflect advances reported in other relevant Special Issues of Polymers.

Prof. Dr. Charles Rogers
Guest Editor

Submission

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• membranes
• thin films
• interfacial phenomena
• penetrant-polymer interactions
• natural membranes
• membrane reactors
• membrane separations
• selective permeation
• separation of isomeric and racemic mixtures

Type of Paper: Review
Title: A Review of Interfacially Polymerized Membranes
Authors: Wangxi Fang, William B. Krantz and Wang Rong
Affiliation: Singapore Membrane Technology Center, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798; E-Mail: krantz@colorado.edu (W.B.K.)
Abstract: Since Cadotte patented the first interfacially polymerized (IP) membrane in 1981, they have come to dominate the reverse osmosis desalination market. More recently IP has been used to develop novel polyamide and polyimide high permeation flux nanofiltration membranes. The IP process is attractive for fabricating permselective membranes because under proper conditions it is a self-limiting reaction process; that is, the diffusion of the reacting monomers to the interface results in polymerization and the growth of a crosslinked thin film that ultimately inhibits further contact between the reactants. Typically one of the monomeric reactants is dissolved in an aqueous phase and the other in an immiscible organic phase. The IP reaction then occurs at the interface created when these two immiscible phases are brought into contact. In fabricating membranes the IP reaction occurs on the surface of a microporous support membrane, thereby resulting in a thin film composite (TFC) membrane. The IP film serves as the functional permselective layer of this TFC membrane. This review will underscore the advantages as well as new and emerging applications of IP membranes such as novel forward osmosis membranes and low pressure charged hollow fiber membranes for water softening.

The basic principles of the formation of IP membranes will be reviewed. The state-of-the-art in the development of modified and new interfacially polymerized membranes then will be assessed. The characterization of IP membranes is challenging since their high degree of crosslinking precludes using standard spectroscopic techniques that require dissolving the polymer in an appropriate solvent. However, IP membranes are amenable to characterization via total internal reflectance infrared spectroscopy and positron annihilation spectroscopy as well as dedicated techniques such as pendant drop mechanical analysis. This comprehensive review will assess the state-of-art in characterizing IP membranes.

This review will conclude with a summary of the challenges facing the development of improved and new IP membranes. Recommendations will also be advanced for the direction of future research on IP membranes.