Porous Polymer Membranes with Uniform Catalyst Distribution for Catalytic Removal of Formaldehyde from Indoor Air

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Abstract Proposal Title: Porous Polymer Membranes with Uniform Catalyst Distribution for Catalytic Removal of Formaldehyde from Indoor Air, Proposal Number: CTS-0625753, Principal Investigator: Ilona Kretzschmer, Institution: City University of New York. Abstract:The proposal describes a method for the generation of porous, cylindrical polymer membranes with a uniform catalyst loading that will lead to the development of new materials for the separation and decomposition of formaldehyde from indoor air streams. The scientific hypothesis to be tested is that small amounts of catalyst embedded in the pores of the membrane by a templating technique remain catalytically active towards complete formaldehyde oxidation. For this purpose, polystyrene (PS) particles are partially modified with a metal oxide catalyst by means of electroless and/or physical vapor deposition. The templated polystyrene particles are (i) assembled as a colloidal crystal inside a polymethylmethacrylate capillary, (ii) infiltrated with a polyurethane (PU) prepolymer solution, and (iii) cured leading to the formation of a catalyst/PS/PU matrix. Subsequent removal of the PS component with toluene leads to a porous membrane structure with catalyst embedded in each pore. The proposed methodology used is extremely versatile in that the pore size is easily manipulated via the size of the templating particles and by the viscosity of the prepolymer used for infiltration. The use of catalyst-templated particles enables the accurate distribution of catalyst in the pores of the membrane. It gives access to a large variety of catalyst materials, e.g., even insoluble catalyst material can be distributed uniformly within the membrane. In addition, the amount of catalyst per pore is predetermined by the amount deposition on the template PS particles. Further, the optical transparency of the polyurethane membrane enables the usage of spectroscopic methods for the monitoring of reactant adsorption as well as for refurbishing of used membranes under ultraviolet light exposure.The broader impacts of the proposed work are expected to impact membrane technology. In addition, the PI is at a minority serving institution and works with students from underrepresented groups. The project will include the training of a graduate student and undergraduates will work with the PI and be supported through pre-existing programs at CCNY. The PI has demonstrated that she can work well with undergraduate students, which is a valuable aspect of the proposed work. The education aspects of the proposal are thus a strength of the proposal.