Photo-switchable membrane and method
Switchable gas permeation membranes in which a photo-switchable low-molecular-weight liquid crystalline (LC) material acts as the active element, and a method of making such membranes. Different LC eutectic mixtures were doped with mesogenic azo dyes and infused into track-etched porous membranes with regular cylindrical pores. Photo-induced isothermal phase changes in the imbibed mesogenic material afforded large, reversible changes in the permeability of the photo-switchable membrane to nitrogen. For example, membranes imbibed with a photo-switchable cyanobiphenyl LC material demonstrated low permeability in the nematic state, while the photo-generated isotropic state demonstrated a 16.times.-greater sorption coefficient. Both states obey a high linear sorption behavior in accordance with Henry's Law. In contrast, membranes imbibed with a photo-switchable phenyl benzoate LC material showed the opposite permeability behavior to the biphenyl-imbibed membrane, along with nonlinear sorption behavior.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC52-08NA28302
- Assignee:
- University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)
- Patent Number(s):
- 8,435,333
- Application Number:
- 13/195,508
- OSTI ID:
- 1084240
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Polymer composite, film thereof and separation membrane made therefrom
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