Micrometer-Scale 2D Mapping of the Composition and Homogeneity of Polymer Inclusion Membranes
Alexander M. St John A , Stephen P. Best A , Yaodong Wang A B , Mark J. Tobin C , Ljiljana Puskar C , Rainer Siegele D , Robert W. Cattrall A and Spas D. Kolev A EA School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
B School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
C Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia.
D Institute for Environmental Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: s.kolev@unimelb.edu.au
Australian Journal of Chemistry 64(7) 930-938 https://doi.org/10.1071/CH10458
Submitted: 15 December 2010 Accepted: 29 March 2011 Published: 19 July 2011
Abstract
A new method for determining variations in composition at the micrometer level of polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) using synchrotron-based Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectrometry is described and used to investigate the relationship between PIM composition and the reproducibility of formation of optically clear, ‘homogeneous’ polymer membranes. Membranes based on Aliquat 336 and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid and PVC, and Aliquat 336 and cellulose triacetate give highly reproducible PIMs with excellent optical properties which are chemically homogeneous on the micrometer scale. The close relationship between the spatial distribution of the extractant in the PIM and the extracted species was demonstrated by proton-induced X-ray emission microspectrometry (µ-PIXE) examination of chemically homogeneous membranes loaded with uranium. There is a high correlation between the homogeneity of the distributions of extracted uranium, polymer, and extractant, both on the surface of the PIM and over its cross-section. This approach provides a quantitative basis for the evaluation and optimization of PIMs and similar composite materials.
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