Improving the extraction performance of polymer inclusion membranes by cross-linking their polymeric backbone

Abstract

This study aims at comprehensively investigating the possibility of fabricating cross-linked polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) using the most common base polymers (i.e., poly(vinyl chloride), cellulose triacetate and poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)), cross-linking polymers or monomers (i.e., poly(ethylene glycol) dimethylacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) divinylether and N-ethylmaleimide) and photo-initiators (i.e., 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenyl acetophenone, triarylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate and triphenylphosphine oxide). The suitability of the photo-initiators for the different cross-linking polymers/monomers in poly(vinyl chloride)-based membranes (without extractants) was ass..