Method and Membrane for Nanoporous, Bicontinuous Cubic Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Polymer Membranes that Enable Facile Film Processing and Pore Size Control
申请人:Gin Douglas L.
公开号:US20140154499A1
公开(公告)日:2014-06-05
A method of forming a nanoporous membrane includes preparing a solution of a gemini Imidazolium Lyotropic Liquid Crystal (LLC) monomer, a polar low-volatility organic solvent, and a radical photo-initiator in a volatile organic solvent; solvent-casting the solution onto a porous material, evaporating the volatile organic solvent; heating such that the gemini imidazolium monomer forms a Q-phase material and photopolymerizing the imidazolium monomer by exposing the radical photo-initiator to UV light; and exchanging the polar low-volatility organic solvent. Also disclosed is a membrane composed of polymerized gemini imidazolium LLC monomers, and a thin-film composite membrane having the Q-phase material supported on a porous supporting membrane.