Premium
Modification of cellulose acetate reverse osmosis membranes by radiation grafting
Author(s) -
Bentvelzen J. M.,
KimuraYeh F.,
Hopfenberg H. B.,
Stannett V.
Publication year - 1973
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.1973.070170313
Subject(s) - grafting , polymer chemistry , polystyrene , cellulose acetate , reverse osmosis , polymer , chemical engineering , copolymer , materials science , side chain , cellulose , membrane , swelling , ultimate tensile strength , vinyl acetate , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , biochemistry , engineering
Large excesses of a chain transfer agent, carbon tetrachloride, were introduced to a recipe for the mutual radiation grafting of styrene to cellulose acetate film. The effect of the carbon tetrachloride on the molecular characteristics as well as the reverse osmosis and time dependent mechanical properties of resulting graft copolymers was determined. Extremely short side chains were generated as a consequence of the high concentrations of chain transfer agent and the composite results further suggest that the morphology of the grafted films is best described as “destructured” or internally plasticized consequent to grafting in the presence of CCl 4 . Reverse osmosis fluxes increased with percent graft; salt rejection was high and unaffected by per cent graft up to 40% graft; and the tensile creep under wet conditions was significantly retarded by the grafting. These effects were shown to accrue from grafting per se by control experiments involving α‐methylstyrene which will not propagate to form a polymer under these conditions. These results are compared and contrasted with earlier work on grafting in the absence of CCl 4 where long side chains of polystyrene were generated resulting in a structuring of the polymer involving domains of polystyrene‐rich material and domains of cellulose acetate rich polymer.