Mesophorous Block copolymer membrane

Abstract

<p>Block-copolymer research has long been a center of attention among engineers and scientists seeking solutions to combine two thermodynamically incompatible polymers with hybrid properties. This research focuses on creating triblock copolymers from polystyrene, polyisoprene, and polydimethylsiloxane using an anionic polymerization technique to synthesize then etch of one of the polymer’s block to form a mesophorous membrane. A series of experiments was conducted to form block-copolymers of different molecular weights, which were then tested for their flexibility and permeability. The goal is to develop suitable block-copolymer membranes that can be tailored to the specific needs to support “microbial factory” that are currently facing the incompatible polymer separations challenges.</p>