Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.51, No.4, 689-693, 1994
Effect of Siloxane Chain Lengths of Monomers on Characteristics of Pervaporation Membranes Prepared by Plasma Polymerization
Plasma-polymerized membranes were prepared from a series of monomers with the different siloxane chain lengths, i.e., hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, and decamethyltetrasiloxane, and effects of the starting monomers on both the structures of the plasma polymers and the pervaporation characteristics of ethanol/water mixture were investigated. By IR and XPS measurements, it was found that with increase of the siloxane chain lengths of the monomer the siloxane chains in the plasma polymers were linked more continuously and smaller amounts of additional oxygen were newly incorporated into the polymers. All membranes obtained from the three monomers were found to be ethanol-permselective. From the standpoint of obtaining both high selectivity and high permeation rate, the monomer with the longer siloxane chain was profitable. The relations between the results of the analysis of the plasma polymers by IR and XPS measurements and the pervaporation characteristics obtained are discussed.
Keywords:HYDROCARBONS