2,3-(EPOXYPROPYL)-METHACRYLATE CHEMICAL MODIFIED POLYURETHANE MEMBRANE FOR PERVAPORATION

For the separation of an aqueous alcohol solution by pervaporation, a hydrophilic polymer membrane was synthesized with 2,3-(epoxypropyl)-me thacrylate (EPMA) onto a hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and 4,4-dicyclohexyl methane diisocyanate (H12MDI) based polyurethane memb rane, PU-g-EPMA. The effects of feed composition, degree of grafting, and operation temperature on the pervaporation performance for the ung rafted and grafted membranes were investigated. The membranes were wat er permselective because of the hydrophilicity, and the water permsele ctivity increased with increasing the degree of grafting. The separati on factor and permeation rate of PU-g-EPMA membrane were higher than t hat of the ungrafted PU membrane for pervaporation of aqueous alcohol solution. The separation factor towards water and the permeation rate through the PU-g-EPMA membrane with a grafting degree of 83.0% were 20 9 and 203 g/m(2).h, respectively. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.