Using Layer-by-layer Assembled Clay Composite Junctions to Enhance the Water Dissociation in Bipolar Membranes.

Bipolar membranes (BPMs) with a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled montmorillonite (K30 MMT) clay-polyelectrolyte (PE) composite junction coated onto a sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone (SPEEK)) electrospun support are prepared, characterized and their water dissociation performance is analyzed. In particular, the focus is on the effect of the presence of the K30 MMT clay as a catalyst for water dissociation, the bilayer number (three, six, and nine), and the PE strength (poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) as a weak PE and poly(diallyl dimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) as a strong PE) on the BPM performance. The BPMs are prepared by electrospinning and hot pressing SPEEK and the Fumion FAA-3 polymer.

Thermo-Responsive Starch-g-(PAM-co-PNIPAM): Controlled Synthesis and Effect of Molecular Components on Solution Rheology.

A series of highly branched random copolymers of acrylamide (AM) and -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) have been prepared from a waxy potato starch-based macroinitiator by aqueous Cu⁰-mediated living radical polymerization (Cu⁰-mediated LRP). The NIPAM intake in the copolymer was varied between 0% and 50 mol % to evaluate the influence of chain composition on the aqueous rheological properties as well as their low critical solution temperature (LCST). The viscosity of the copolymer was found to increase with the NIPAM intake and an LCST can be observed when the NIPAM content is high enough (e.