Mechanisms of Asymmetric Membrane Formation in Nonsolvent-Induced Phase Separation

Garcia, Jan Ulric; Iwama, Tatsuhiro; Chan, Eva Y.; Tree, Douglas R.; Delaney, Kris T.; Fredrickson, Glenn H.

doi:10.1021/acsmacrolett.0c00609

Mechanisms of Asymmetric Membrane Formation in Nonsolvent-Induced Phase Separation

Journal Article · Mon Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · ACS Macro Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.0c00609· OSTI ID:1686072

^[1]; Iwama, Tatsuhiro ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[3]; ^[3]

Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); University of California, Santa Barbara
Asahi Kasei Corp., Shizuoka (Japan)
Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)
Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT (United States)

We report the first simulations of nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) that predict membrane microstructures with graded asymmetric pore size distribution. In NIPS, a polymer solution film is immersed in a nonsolvent bath, enriching the film in nonsolvent, and leading to phase separation that forms a solid polymer-rich membrane matrix and polymer-poor membrane pores. We demonstrate how mass-transfer-induced spinodal decomposition, thermal fluctuations, and glass-transition dynamics implemented with mobility contrast between the polymer-rich and polymer-poor phases are essential to the formation of asymmetric membrane microstructures. Specifically, we show that the competition between the propagation of the phase-separation and glass-transition fronts determines the degree of pore-size asymmetry. In conclusion, we also explore the sensitivity of these microstructures to the initial film composition, and compare their formation in 2D and 3D.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0019272

OSTI ID:: 1686072

Journal Information:: ACS Macro Letters, Journal Name: ACS Macro Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 9; ISSN 2161-1653

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Polymer membrane
glass transition
interfaces
membranes
microstructures
nonsolvent-induced phase separation
phase inversion
phase separation
water filtration

Mechanisms of Asymmetric Membrane Formation in Nonsolvent-Induced Phase Separation

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