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Enhancing the permeation characteristics of polyethylene by membrane irradiation in the fully swollen state
Author(s) -
Siegel Richard D.,
Coughlin Robert W.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1970.070141001
Subject(s) - polyethylene , toluene , permeation , semipermeable membrane , permeability (electromagnetism) , membrane , solvent , materials science , irradiation , benzene , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , low density polyethylene , polymer , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , biochemistry , physics , nuclear physics , engineering
Fully swollen, low‐density polyethylene films were irradiated, vacuum dried, reswollen, and subsequently permeability tested using tritiated toluene and benzene as penetrants. The treatment improved the permeability of polyethylene up to 88%, with the enhancement strongly dependent on the choice of the irradiation solvent. These results suggest a potentially practical process for improving the performance of semipermeable membranes.