The effect of cross-linkers with multi-armed structures on gas transport properties in star-like poly (ethylene oxide) polymers

ABSTRACT

Four series of star-like poly (ethylene oxide) have been prepared by incorporating the cross-linkers with tri-reactive cores, tetra-reactive cores, penta-reactive cores, and hexa-reactive cores, respectively. Chemical characterization was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal properties were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry. The average chain-to-chain distance in polymers was investigated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The effect of incorporating the cross-linkers with various reactive cores and multi-arms on the gas transport properties was reported. The relationship between the gas transport properties and physical properties was also discussed. Some of these polymers exhibit outstanding permeation–separation performance for CO₂/N₂, exceeding the CO₂/N₂ Robeson upper-bound line.

KEYWORDS:

• Carbon dioxide separation
• star-like polymer
• poly (ethylene oxide)

Funding

The authors wish to sincerely thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21506160 and 21776217), The Project sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for The Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry (Grant Batch No. 48), and The Science and Technology Plans of Tianjin (Grant No. 16PTSYJC00110) for financially supporting this work.

Additional information

Funding

The authors wish to sincerely thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21506160 and 21776217), The Project sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for The Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry (Grant Batch No. 48), and The Science and Technology Plans of Tianjin (Grant No. 16PTSYJC00110) for financially supporting this work.