Ionic liquids for the control of the morphology in poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) membranes

The development of polymer membranes with tailored micro-morphology and wettability is a demand in the areas of filtration, sensors, and tissue engineering, among others. The thermoplastic copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP), is one of the most widely used polymers...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Materials & design Vol. 155; pp. 325 - 333
Main Authors:	GSaiz, Paula, Lopes, Ana Catarina, Eizagirre Barker, Simone, Fernández de Luis, Roberto, Arriortua, María Isabel
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Elsevier Ltd 05-10-2018
Subjects:	Hydrophilic properties Ionic liquids Mechanical properties Membranes Modelling morphology Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) Modelling morphology Ionic liquids Mechanical properties Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) Membranes Hydrophilic properties
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	The development of polymer membranes with tailored micro-morphology and wettability is a demand in the areas of filtration, sensors, and tissue engineering, among others. The thermoplastic copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP), is one of the most widely used polymers for these applications due to its good mechanical and thermal properties, biocompatibility and low density. Although the control of the PVDF-HFP morphology is a complicated task, the introduction of ionic liquids (ILs) in the PVDF-HFP matrix opens new perspectives in this area. This work consists of a systematic study of three different protic ionic liquids ([dema][TfO], [MIm][NTf2] and [MIm][Cl]) in the control of PVDF-HFP membranes properties. Different preparation conditions are also analyzed. These results demonstrate how several parameters such as morphology, water absorption capacity and mechanical properties vary depending on the production methodology employed and on the choice of incorporated IL. Pores of different sizes, spherulites and compact structures have been obtained, as well as hydrophilic and highly hydrophobic structures. These results show that ILs play a key role in the optimization of polymer properties and given the large number of available ILs, open up new possibilities for the development of polymer membranes suitable for applications where specific morphologies are desirable. [Display omitted] •Three different ionic liquids have been used as properties controllers on the preparation of PVDF-HFP membranes•PVDF-HFP membranes morphologies could be tailor (pores, spherulites or compact structures) by using different ionic liquids•Hydrophilicity of PVDF-HFP membranes can be achieved by using specific ionic liquids in the membrane preparation•PVDF-HFP/[dema][TfO] prepared at 80 °C stands out for its fast water absorption capacity•The removal of ionic liquids from PVDF-HFP membranes by immersion in water does not affect the morphology of the membranes
ISSN:	0264-1275 1873-4197
DOI:	10.1016/j.matdes.2018.06.013