Block Polymer Routes to Robust Nanostructured Membrane Materials

技术概述：聚合物膜广泛应用于从城市水处理到食品加工到工业气体分离等技术。膜上的分离效率和通量是决定其最终效用的两个关键因素。在许多情况下，这些优点与膜的纳米级形态密切相关。提出了两种利用嵌段聚合物作为主要成分制备各种具有可调属性的纳米结构膜的策略。嵌段聚合物自组装结合功能属性集成到这些杂化大分子中，为制备先进的膜材料提供了一个强大而通用的平台。拟议的研究活动建立在首席研究员过去对功能块聚合物的努力基础上，这些聚合物已经产生了高效的超滤、气体分离和质子交换膜，用于水净化、氨净化和直接甲醇燃料电池。所提出的工作的具体目标包括通过自组装方法的纳米结构高密度聚乙烯膜和通过反应诱导相分离方法的纳米结构热固性膜。将使用一系列现代技术对所得材料进行完整的表征，并将完成从这些材料中提取的新膜的实施和测试。所描述的目标材料具有巨大的潜力，可以影响广泛的重要技术。基础研究和开发重点将放在水净化、电池和燃料电池应用的新材料上。非技术概述：膜是一种薄层材料，可用于纯化各种异质混合物。许多工业上相关的膜是由聚合物制成的。这种聚合物膜目前用于从城市水处理到食品加工到工业气体分离的各种技术。具有更高效率和整体性能的膜是本提案的目标。依靠精密设计和合成创新的杂化聚合物材料的策略，可以采用复杂但可控的纳米结构。在这项工作中产生的膜将被彻底地表征，评估，并与目前可用的材料进行比较。拟议工作的技术影响是深远的，并有望带来社会效益。水净化、锂离子电池和燃料电池技术还远未成熟，但对全球可持续发展任务极为重要。本提案中描述的基础研究将为这些领域的下一代技术的发展提供必要的基础支撑。除了基础研究工作外，几项外展活动将被纳入整个计划。举个例子，一个名为“能量和能量”的化学演示节目将每年向3000多名K-12学生展示能源的重要主题（能源从哪里来，如何使用，以及如何转换）。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Polymeric membranes are widely used in technologies ranging from municipal water treatment to food processing to industrial gas separations. The separation efficiency and flux across the membrane are two of the key factors that determine their ultimate utility. These figures of merit are closely tied to the nanoscale morphology of the membrane in many cases. Two strategies that utilize block polymers as the principal components for the preparation of various nanostructured membranes with tunable attributes are proposed. Block polymer self-assembly coupled with the integration of functional attributes into these hybrid macromolecules is a powerful and versatile platform for the preparation of advanced membrane materials. The proposed research activities build on the principal investigator's past efforts with functional block polymers that have resulted in efficient ultrafiltration, gas separation, and proton exchange membranes for applications in water purification, ammonia purification, and direct methanol fuel cells. Specific targets in the proposed work include nanostructured high-density polyethylene membranes by a self-assembly approach and nanostructured thermoset membranes by a reaction induced phase separation approach. The complete characterization of the resultant materials will be undertaken using a bevy of modern techniques and the implementation and testing of new membranes derived from these materials will be accomplished. The target materials described have tremendous potential to impact a broad swath of important technologies. The basic research and development emphasis will be aimed at new materials for water purification, battery, and fuel cell applications.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Membranes are thin sheets of material that can be used to purify a wide variety of heterogenous mixtures. Many industrially relevant membranes are made from polymers. Such polymeric membranes are currently used in technologies ranging from municipal water treatment to food processing to industrial gas separations. Membranes with higher efficiency and overall performance are targeted in this proposal. Strategies that rely on precision design and synthesis of innovative hybrid polymeric materials that can adopt complex but controlled nanostructures will be undertaken. The membranes generated in this work will be thoroughly characterized, evaluated, and compared to currently available materials. The technological implications of the proposed work are far-reaching and promise societal benefit. Water purification, lithium-ion battery and fuel cell technologies are far from maturity but are extremely important for global sustainability mandates. The basic research described in this proposal will provide the necessary fundamental underpinnings for the development of next-generation technologies in these areas. In addition to the basic research efforts, several outreach activities will be integrated into the overall program. As one example, a chemical demonstration show called "Energy and U" that emphasizes the important topic of energy (where it comes from, how it's used, and how it's converted) will be performed annually to over 3000 K-12 students.