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Polymers
Special Issues
Polymer Membranes for High Efficient Separation
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Polymer Membranes for High Efficient Separation

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2020) | Viewed by 19907

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jem-Kun Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
Interests: nanomaterials; nanofibers; polymer composites; surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP); hydrogel; stimuli-responsive polymers; photonics; bio-optical sensors; lithography
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Chih-Chia Cheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, Taiwan
Interests: polymer materials; supramolecular chemistry; optoelectronic materials; functional biomaterials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer membranes are currently being exploited in a wide range of disciplines due to their structures and properties as well as their potential application in a wide range of separation processes. By rationally tuning the structure and surface functional groups of the membranes, the polymer membrane can be readily used to separate two phases and to extract components from one phase. For example, porous membranes act as a boundary between two phases with the ability to remove materials by a sieving mechanism based on the size of the membrane pores and the size of the matter to be removed. Non-porous membranes allow the controlled and selective transfer of one species from one phase to another, which may separate molecules based on differences in solubility or diffusivity. In addition, various polymeric and hybrid materials are used to prepare membranes that are partitions or barriers between two phases, and following the application of a driving force, they separate the phases. Properties of the membrane, such as surface charge and hydrophobicity, and process vary among polymer materials. This Special Issue of Polymers "polymer membranes for highly efficient separation" will cover recent developments in the use of polymer membrane for a wide range of applications, including separation, extraction, filtration and adsorption treatments.

Of particular interest are the synthesis and characterization of new polymer membranes that may provide highly efficient functional separation, allowing researchers to obtain desired membrane properties.

Prof. Jem-Kun Chen
Prof. Chih-Chia Cheng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

• Water/oil separation
• Gas separation
• Ion absorption
• Solvent separation
• Separations/purifications with polymer membranes
• Biomaterial separation/purification
• New processing techniques for polymer membrane fabrication
• Polymer membranes for physical, chemical and biological sensing
• Polymer membranes for biomedical applications
• Polymer membranes for computational simulations
• Synthesis of functional polymer membranes
• Fundamental characteristics of polymer membranes
• Development of polymer membranes with structure
• Polymer membranes for energy applications
• Polymer membranes for light harvesting
• Polymer membranes for electronic/optoelectronic applications

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 2507 KiB  
Article
Lycopene Inhibit IMQ-Induced Psoriasis-Like Inflammation by Inhibiting ICAM-1 Production in Mice
by Chun-Ming Shih, Chi-Kun Hsieh, Chien-Yu Huang, Chun-Yao Huang, Kuo-Hsien Wang, Tsorng-Harn Fong, Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, Kuan-Ting Liu and Ai-Wei Lee
Polymers 2020, 12(7), 1521; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12071521 - 9 Jul 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4165
Abstract
Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes, which has been identified to have the properties of anti-inflammation in addition to the capability to inhibit the expression of adhesion molecules. Intercellular adhesion molecules play a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Here, [...] Read more.
Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes, which has been identified to have the properties of anti-inflammation in addition to the capability to inhibit the expression of adhesion molecules. Intercellular adhesion molecules play a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Here, we report that the topical use of a lycopene decreased imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like inflammatory responses, the progress of which was based on adhesion molecules. In vitro analysis showed that lycopene decreased keratinocyte and monocyte adhesion. Evidence suggests that intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a main mediator of psoriasis pathogenesis. Therefore, it will be interesting to investigate the factors that contribute to the lycopene-mediated inhibition of ICAM-1 expression in psoriasis. We expect that lycopene will with potential value in the treatment of psoriasis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Membranes for High Efficient Separation)
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18 pages, 5233 KiB  
Article
Facile Fabrication of High-Performance Thin Film Nanocomposite Desalination Membranes Imbedded with Alkyl Group-Capped Silica Nanoparticles
by Biqin Wu, Shuhao Wang, Jian Wang, Xiaoxiao Song, Yong Zhou and Congjie Gao
Polymers 2020, 12(6), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12061415 - 24 Jun 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3250
Abstract
The advantages of thin film nanocomposite reverse osmosis (TFN-RO) membranes have been demonstrated by numerous studies within the last decade. This study proposes a facile and novel method to tune the microscale and nanoscale structures, which has good potential to fabricate high-performance TFN-RO [...] Read more.
The advantages of thin film nanocomposite reverse osmosis (TFN-RO) membranes have been demonstrated by numerous studies within the last decade. This study proposes a facile and novel method to tune the microscale and nanoscale structures, which has good potential to fabricate high-performance TFN-RO membranes. This method involves the addition of alkyl capped silica nanoparticles (alkyl-silica NPs) into the organic phase during interfacial polymerization (IP). We discovered for the first time that the high concentration alkyl-silica NPs in organic solvent isopar-G can limit the diffusion of MPD molecules at the interface, therefore shaping the intrinsic thickness and microstructures of the PA layer. Moreover, the alkyl group modification greatly reduces the NPs agglomeration and increases the compatibility between the NPs and the PA matrix. We further demonstrate that the doping of alkyl-silica NPs impacts the performance of the TFN-RO membrane by affecting intrinsic thickness, higher surface area, hydrophobic plugging effect, and higher surface charge by a series of characterization. At brackish water desalination conditions (2000 ppm NaCl, 1.55 MPa), the optimal brackish water flux was 55.3 L/m2∙h, and the rejection was maintained at 99.6%, or even exceeded this baseline. At seawater desalination conditions (32,000 ppm NaCl, 5.5 MPa), the optimized seawater flux reached 67.7 L/m2∙h, and the rejection was sustained at 99.4%. Moreover, the boron rejection was elevated by 11%, which benefits from a hydrophobic plugging effect of the alkyl groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Membranes for High Efficient Separation)
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17 pages, 2145 KiB  
Article
Transient and Steady Pervaporation of 1-Butanol–Water Mixtures through a Poly[1-(Trimethylsilyl)-1-Propyne] (PTMSP) Membrane
by VSSL Prasad Talluri, Petra Patakova, Tomas Moucha and Ondrej Vopicka
Polymers 2019, 11(12), 1943; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11121943 - 26 Nov 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3770
Abstract
The transient and steady pervaporation of 1-butanol–water mixtures through a poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] (PTMSP) membrane was studied to observe and elucidate the diffusion phenomena in this high-performing organophilic glassy polymer. Pervaporation was studied in a continuous sequence of experiments under conditions appropriate for the separation [...] Read more.
The transient and steady pervaporation of 1-butanol–water mixtures through a poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] (PTMSP) membrane was studied to observe and elucidate the diffusion phenomena in this high-performing organophilic glassy polymer. Pervaporation was studied in a continuous sequence of experiments under conditions appropriate for the separation of bio-butanol from fermentation broths: feed concentrations of 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 w/w % of 1-butanol in nutrient-containing (yeast extract) water, temperatures of 37, 50 and 63 °C, and a time period of 80 days. In addition, concentration polarization was assessed. As expected, the total flux and individual component permeabilities declined discernibly over the study period, while the separation factor (average β = 82) and selectivity towards 1-butanol (average α = 2.6) remained practically independent of the process conditions tested. Based on measurements of pervaporation transients, for which a new apparatus and model were developed, we found that the diffusivity of 1-butanol in PTMSP decreased over time due to aging and was comparable to that observed using microgravimetry in pure vapor in 1-butanol. Hence, despite the gradual loss of free volume of the aging polymer, the PTMSP membrane showed high and practically independent selectivity towards 1-butanol. Additionally, a new technique for the measurement and evaluation of pervaporation transients using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of permeate was proposed and validated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Membranes for High Efficient Separation)
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11 pages, 3920 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Properties, Gas Permeability, and Selectivity of Mixed Matrix Membrane Based on Polysulfone Polymer Matrix Incorporated with KIT-6 Silica
by Sie Hao Ding, Tiffany Yit Siew Ng, Thiam Leng Chew, Pei Ching Oh, Abdul Latif Ahmad and Chii-Dong Ho
Polymers 2019, 11(11), 1732; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11111732 - 23 Oct 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3606
Abstract
Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) separation is a promising technology for gas permeation and separation involving carbon dioxide (CO2). However, finding a suitable type of filler for the formation of defect-free MMMs with enhancement in gas permeability remains a challenge. Current study [...] Read more.
Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) separation is a promising technology for gas permeation and separation involving carbon dioxide (CO2). However, finding a suitable type of filler for the formation of defect-free MMMs with enhancement in gas permeability remains a challenge. Current study focuses on synthesis of KIT-6 silica and followed by the incorporation of KIT-6 silica as filler into polysulfone (PSF) polymer matrix to fabricate MMMs, with filler loadings of 0–8 wt %. The effect of KIT-6 incorporation on the properties of the fabricated MMMs was evaluated via different characterization techniques. The MMMs were investigated for gas permeability and selectivity with pressure difference of 5 bar at 25 °C. KIT-6 with typical rock-like morphology was synthesized. Incorporation of 2 wt % of KIT-6 into PSF matrix produced MMMs with no void. When KIT-6 loadings in the MMMs were increased from 0 to 2 wt %, the CO2 permeability increased by ~48%, whereas the ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity remained almost constant. However, when the KIT-6 loading in PSF polymer matrix was more than 2 wt %, the formation of voids in the MMMs increased the CO2 permeability but sacrificed the ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity. In current study, KIT-6 was found to be potential filler for PSF matrix under controlled KIT-6 loading for gas permeation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Membranes for High Efficient Separation)
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14 pages, 5121 KiB  
Article
Highly Efficient Polydopamine-coated Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanofiber Supported Platinum–Nickel Bimetallic Catalyst for Formaldehyde Oxidation at Room Temperature
by Fa-Gui He, Bing Du, Gaurav Sharma and Florian J. Stadler
Polymers 2019, 11(4), 674; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11040674 - 12 Apr 2019
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4505
Abstract
We fabricated one fibrous-membrane type of flexible and lightweight supported catalyst via loading platinum–nickel nanoparticles (PtNi NPs) directly on the polydopamine-coated polymethylmethacrylate electrospun-fibers (PMMA@PDA). The polymer support with the PDA layer provided numerous active sites, leading to well-monodispersed and sized PtNi NPs on [...] Read more.
We fabricated one fibrous-membrane type of flexible and lightweight supported catalyst via loading platinum–nickel nanoparticles (PtNi NPs) directly on the polydopamine-coated polymethylmethacrylate electrospun-fibers (PMMA@PDA). The polymer support with the PDA layer provided numerous active sites, leading to well-monodispersed and sized PtNi NPs on the nanofibers. Through the rational design of PtNi NPs, the resultant catalyst system exhibited 90% conversion for decomposing HCHO (10 ppm) at room temperature with only a low dosage (0.02 g), retaining the high activity for 100 h. This superior catalytic performance stems from the formate oxidation, which was the key intermediate during HCHO decomposition, and was promoted by the existence of a sufficient Pt–OH–Ni interface in the PtNi NPs with an appropriate Pt/Ni ratio of 1:5. Such tailored Pt-based nanoparticles ideally work together with the polymer nanofibers as a support for catalytic reaction. Compared with classical catalysts, our system can handle a comparable efficiency with much lower air resistance and remarkably lower dosage. Furthermore, the membrane-like morphology provides easy handling and minimizes the leaching of catalyst nanoparticles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Membranes for High Efficient Separation)
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