Microcellular open porous polyester membranes from thiol-ene polymerisations of high internal phase emulsions

0460347 - ÚMCH 2017 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Sušec, M. - Paljevac, M. - Kotek, Jiří - Krajnc, P.
Microcellular open porous polyester membranes from thiol-ene polymerisations of high internal phase emulsions.
Designed Monomers and Polymers. Roč. 19, č. 6 (2016), s. 577-583. ISSN 1385-772X. E-ISSN 1568-5551
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) LO1507
Institutional support: RVO:61389013
Keywords : polymer membranes * mechanical properties * polyHIPE
Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry
Impact factor: 1.139, year: 2016

A high internal phase emulsion templating procedure is applied for the preparation of membranes which exhibit an open porous morphology with interconnected macro pores and open porous surfaces. A doctor blading procedure is used to cast the high internal phase emulsion onto glass substrates. Continuous phase of the emulsions contain divinyladipate and pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) which are photopolymerised using the thiol-ene click chemistry to yield polyester type polymer network. The resulting polymer morphology features primary pores as a result of emulsion’s droplet phase, with diameters between 7 and 14 µm and interconnecting pores as a result of polymerisation shrinkage, with diameters between 1.6 and 2.2 µm. The highly porous and interconnected morphology mirrors the precursor emulsion structure with a dense packing of internal (aqueous) phase droplets. Doctor blades with different slit dimensions are used for casting thus producing membranes with different thicknesses while in all cases typical polyHIPE morphology is observed. Mechanical tests show a dependence of tensile modulus and tensile strength on the membrane thickness and also on pore size distribution.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0260474