Applied Surface Science, Vol.252, No.3, 612-618, 2005
Structural characteristics of porous polymers treated by freezing with water or acetone
The pore structure of nine polymers of different origin initial and treated in water and acetone for 24 h and then frozen by liquid nitrogen for 2 h was studied using low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. An average increase in pore volume and surface area is approximately 16 and 8%, respectively, after freezing with water and 19 and 8%, respectively, after treatment with acetone. However, for some samples, this effect is negative but for others, structural changes are significantly greater (up to 106%) than the average one. Certain treated polymers are characterized by shifted pore size distribution which is also accompanied by displacement of nitrogen adsorption energy distribution. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords:porous polymers;wetted polymer freezing;texture;pore size distribution;nitrogen adsorption energy