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Probing the molecular level of polyimide-based solvent resistant nanofiltration membranes with positron annihilation
Angels Cano-Odena1, Pieter Vandezande, Katrien Hendrix
1Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23-box 2461, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract:
Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) has been performed to link fundamental polymer properties to membrane performance, more specifically for polyimide (PI)-based solvent-resistant nanofiltration membranes. Laboratory-made membranes with well-known properties were applied first to define proper pretreatment conditions for the membrane to allow PAS-analysis and to allow more correct linking of PAS results to membrane properties. This knowledge was then applied to probe the structure of commercial PI-based Starmem membranes.