Nanostructured Polymers for Energy Efficient Devices and Specialty Separation Applications

Polymers are present in almost every single aspect of our lives. Applications range from common daily uses (e.g., contact lenses, diapers, fabrics, non-stick cookware), to more demanding specialty functions (e.g., artificial hip joints, bulletproof vests, cars, planes etc.). This presentation will describe the synthesis of various nanostructured polymers Specific examples will be presented to describe a variety of hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains (e.g., sulfonated poly(styrene-isobutylene-styrene) grafted with hexyl- and butyl-imidazolium chloride ionic liquids, pentafluoro styrene sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) and others). Some of these polymers will incorporate nanoparticles to create polymer nanocomposite membranes (PNMs), creating a more diverse nanostructure for enhanced separations and more efficient devices. Various materials characterization results will be depicted to describe their nanostructure and their chemical, thermal and morphological behavior. In addition, transport property experiments will be presented to describe the applicability of these materials to energy efficient devices and specialty separation applications. Specific energy efficient applications include: direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) and organic photovoltaics (OPV). Specific specialty separation efforts include: the inactivation of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, the degradation of emerging contaminants, the separation of urea from water, and water desalination.