Stimuli-responsive Membranes Through Graft-copolymerization Of Acrylic Acid (AAc) Onto Polycarbonate Track Etched (PCTE) Membrane

¹Amity Institute of Applied Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201 303, India

²Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemistry, 580 Palam Vihar Road, Bijwasan, New Delhi 110061, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2013, Ion Beam Special Issue, 4 (6), pp 418-422

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2012.ib.106

Publication Date (Web): Mar 16, 2013

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: srattan@amity.edu

Abstract

Radiation grafting of the Track Etched Membranes (TEMs) is a versatile tool for the formation of stimulus responsive membranes which change their permeation properties in response to environmental stimuli such as pH or temperature. Stimuli-responsive polymeric membranes have attracted the attention of researcher all around the world owing to their potential applications in the fields of controlled drug delivery, bio separation, water treatment, and chemical sensors. Acrylic acid (AAc), well known for its novel pH-sensitive behavior in aqueous media was successfully grafted on the surface and in the pores of polycarbonate track etched membrane (PCTE). The influence of reaction parameters such as monomer concentration, reaction time, temperature and concentration of the initiator on the grafting yield was investigated in detail. The membranes were characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The pH-responsive behaviour of the PCTE-g-AAc membranes was studied. The PCTE-g-AAc membranes exhibit fast and reversible response to the environmental pH.

Keywords

Acrylic acid, polycarbonate track etched membrane, graft copolymerization, pH-sensitive.