A new generation of highly stable and permeable polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) with their carrier immobilized in a crosslinked semi-interpenetrating polymer network. Application to the transport of thiocyanate

Abstract

A novel type of polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) composed of a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PVDF-HFP/PEG-DMA) semi-interpenetrating crosslinked polymer network and Aliquat 336 as the carrier was successfully fabricated. Crosslinking was achieved by UV irradiation (15 min) with 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone as photoinitiator (0.6 wt%). The optimum PIM composition contained PVDF-HFP and PEG-DMA in a mass ratio of 5:5 and 40 wt% Aliquat 336. Thiocyanate extraction and transport studies using this PIM demonstrated its potential for the clean-up of this anion from process and tailings waters in the gold mining industry which is of..