Insights into Free Volume Variations across Ion-Exchange Membranes upon Mixed Solvents Uptake by Small and Ultrasmall Angle Neutron Scattering

Abstract

Ion-exchange membranes are composite separation materials increasingly used in a variety of electro-membranes and electrochemical processes. Although promising for solvent reclamation, to date, their main applications are limited to aqueous environments due to physicochemical and microstructural changes of the materials upon exposure to nonaqueous and mixed solvents solutions, affecting long-term stability and separation performance. In the present work, the structural changes of commercial and novel hybrid ion-exchange membranes in mixed methanol/water and ethanol/water solutions are assessed for the first time using ultra- and small-angle neutron scattering techniques. The interface betwee..