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Title: Mechanically robust hydrophobized double network hydrogels and their fundamental salt transport properties

Abstract

Abstract Water swollen polymer networks are attractive for applications ranging from tissue regeneration to water purification. For water purification, charged polymers provide excellent ion separation properties. However, many ion exchange membranes (IEMs) are brittle, necessitating the use of thick support materials that ultimately decrease throughput. To this end, novel double network hydrogels (DNHs) with variable water content are prepared and characterized in terms of mechanical and ion transport properties to evaluate their potential utility as tough membrane materials. The first network contains fixed anionic charges, while the other is comprised of a copolymer with varied ratios of hydrophobic ethyl acrylate (EA) and hydrophilic dimethyl acrylamide (DMA) repeat units. Characterization of freestanding DNH films reveals a reduction in water content from 88 to 53 wt% and a simultaneous increase in ultimate stress and strain by ~3.5× and ~4.5×, respectively, for 95%/5% EA/DMA, relative to 100% DMA. Fundamental salt transport properties relevant to water purification, including permeability, solubility, and diffusivity, are measured and systematically compared with conventional membrane materials to inform the development of DNHs for membrane applications. The ability to simultaneously reduce water content and increase mechanical integrity highlights the potential of DNHs as a synthetic platform for future membrane applications.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Department of Chemistry The University of Texas Austin Texas USA, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering The University of Texas Austin Texas USA
  2. McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering The University of Texas Austin Texas USA
  3. Department of Chemistry The University of Texas Austin Texas USA
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1810209
Resource Type:
Publisher's Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Polymer Science
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Journal of Polymer Science Journal Volume: 59 Journal Issue: 21; Journal ID: ISSN 2642-4150
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Allen, Marshall J., Sujanani, Rahul, Chamseddine, Alyssa, Freeman, Benny D., and Page, Zachariah A. Mechanically robust hydrophobized double network hydrogels and their fundamental salt transport properties. United States: N. p., 2021. Web. doi:10.1002/pol.20210260.
Allen, Marshall J., Sujanani, Rahul, Chamseddine, Alyssa, Freeman, Benny D., & Page, Zachariah A. Mechanically robust hydrophobized double network hydrogels and their fundamental salt transport properties. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20210260
Allen, Marshall J., Sujanani, Rahul, Chamseddine, Alyssa, Freeman, Benny D., and Page, Zachariah A. Mon . "Mechanically robust hydrophobized double network hydrogels and their fundamental salt transport properties". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20210260.
@article{osti_1810209,
title = {Mechanically robust hydrophobized double network hydrogels and their fundamental salt transport properties},
author = {Allen, Marshall J. and Sujanani, Rahul and Chamseddine, Alyssa and Freeman, Benny D. and Page, Zachariah A.},
abstractNote = {Abstract Water swollen polymer networks are attractive for applications ranging from tissue regeneration to water purification. For water purification, charged polymers provide excellent ion separation properties. However, many ion exchange membranes (IEMs) are brittle, necessitating the use of thick support materials that ultimately decrease throughput. To this end, novel double network hydrogels (DNHs) with variable water content are prepared and characterized in terms of mechanical and ion transport properties to evaluate their potential utility as tough membrane materials. The first network contains fixed anionic charges, while the other is comprised of a copolymer with varied ratios of hydrophobic ethyl acrylate (EA) and hydrophilic dimethyl acrylamide (DMA) repeat units. Characterization of freestanding DNH films reveals a reduction in water content from 88 to 53 wt% and a simultaneous increase in ultimate stress and strain by ~3.5× and ~4.5×, respectively, for 95%/5% EA/DMA, relative to 100% DMA. Fundamental salt transport properties relevant to water purification, including permeability, solubility, and diffusivity, are measured and systematically compared with conventional membrane materials to inform the development of DNHs for membrane applications. The ability to simultaneously reduce water content and increase mechanical integrity highlights the potential of DNHs as a synthetic platform for future membrane applications.},
doi = {10.1002/pol.20210260},
journal = {Journal of Polymer Science},
number = 21,
volume = 59,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 2021},
month = {Mon Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 2021}
}

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