Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1993, 58, 2552-2558
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19932552

Gas Transport Properties and Structure of Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)/Poly(N-arylmaleimide) Membranes

Jan Lokaj, Miroslav Bleha, Zbyněk Pientka and František Lednický

Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic

Abstract

Blend membranes containing poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) and homopolymers of substituted N-phenmylmaleimides were prepared by casting from chloroform solutions of mixtures of the polymers. The polyimides were synthesized by the radical polymerization of dimethylamino, chloro, and bromo derivatives of N-phenylmaleimide. The membranes were characterized by permeabilities to oxygen and nitrogen; the permeability ratio O2/N2 equaled to 5.3 - 6.8. Unlike transparent PPO membranes, PPO/polyimide membranes were cloudy. The phase structure of the membranes was examined by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The relation between gas transport properties and the structure of the membranes is discussed.