Filtration membranes with functionalized star polymers

• US 9,782,727 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2014
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dubois, Geraud J., Lee, Victor Y., Miller, Robert D., Na, Young-Hye, Sly, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Menon, Krishnan S
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUANG, RYAN
• Application Number:
  US14/330,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20160008769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/02 Hydrophilization
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/30 Cross-linking
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/345 UV-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/36 Introduction of specific chemical groups
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/04 Characteristic thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/14 Membrane materials having negatively charged functional groups
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/16 Membrane materials having positively charged functional groups
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/18 Membrane materials having mixed charged functional groups
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/26 Electrical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/36 Hydrophilic membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/027 Nanofiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0006 by chemical reactions in-situ polymerisation, polycondensation, cross-linking or reaction for manufacturing composite membranes B01D69/125
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/02 characterised by their properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/12 Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/1214 Chemically bonded layers, e.g. cross-linking
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/125 In situ manufacturing by polymerisation, polycondensation, cross-linking or chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/1251 by interfacial polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/5211 Polyethylene glycol or polyethyleneoxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/80 Block polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/82 characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. introduced by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2438/01 : Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization [ATRP] or reverse ATRP
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 293/005 : using free radical "living" or "controlled" polymerisation, e.g. using a complexing agent

Abstract

A thin film composite membrane (TFC) includes an active layer on a support. The active layer includes at least 8 barrier layers of star-polymers each having at least three linear polymers attached at a central core. Each of the barrier layers has a thickness between 5 and 50 nm, and the barrier layers have alternating charge.

Claims

1. A thin film composite membrane (TFC) comprising a water-permeable active filtration layer on a porous support membrane with an average pore diameter of about 1 nm to about 100 nm, wherein the active layer comprises at least 8 barrier layers of star-polymers having an alternating charge, each of the barrier layers having a thickness between 5 and 50 nm, wherein the star-polymers comprise at least three linear polymers attached at a central core, and wherein at least one of the barrier layers comprises a positively charged star-polymer with an ammonium moiety and at least one of the barrier layers comprises a negatively charged star polymer with a carboxyl moiety.

2. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the barrier layers adhere to one another with electrostatic interaction.

3. The membrane of claim 1, wherein at least one of the barrier layers of alternating layers of star polymers adhere to one another with hydrogen-bonding.

4. The membrane of claim 2, wherein at least one of the barrier layers comprises an electrically neutral hydrophilic surface functional moiety.

5. The membrane of claim 4, wherein the neutral hydrophilic surface functional moiety is polyethylene glycol.

6. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the support membrane has an average pore diameter of about 5 to about 20 nm.