Synthesis of Polyvinyltrimethylsilane-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) Copolymers and Properties of Gas-Separating Membranes Formed on Their Basis
Abstract
A method is developed for the synthesis of the graft copolymer polyvinyltrimethylsilane-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) via the interaction of a brominated polymer with the methyl ether of a low-molecular-mass poly(ethylene glycol). Graft copolymer samples containing up to 79 wt % poly(ethylene glycol) are synthesized through this method. The properties of the graft copolymers and blends formed on their basis with a specially synthesized low-molecular-mass PEG derivative with a terminal trimethylsilyl group are investigated. Physical blends are prepared in order to increase the content of ethylene oxide groups while the film-forming properties of the composite materials are preserved. As shown by structural studies, the graft copolymers are amorphous single-phase systems, while the related blends are two-phase disperse systems, in which one phase is enriched in polytrimethylvinylsilane and the other is enriched in PEG. Studies of the gas-transport behavior of the samples reveal that the introduction of PEG, in contrast to the nonselective initial polymer, results in the formation of PVTMS-based materials that are selective for CO2 in mixtures with H-2.