Novel poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-graft-poly(vinylidene fluoride) copolymers for temperature-sensitive microfiltration membranes

Abstract

In the present work, we report on the synthesis and characterization of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM) polymer side chains from molecular graft copolymerization in solution. The copolymer can be readily cast into temperature-sensitive microfiltration (MF) membranes by the phase inversion technique. The copolymer approach to membrane fabrication allows a much better control of the physicochemical nature of the membrane pores through the variation in graft concentration, membrane casting temperature and concentration of the membrane casting solution.