Authors
Abstract
Radiation grafting of the Track Etched Membranes (TEMs) is a versatile tool for the formation of stimulus responsive membranes which change their permeation properties in response to environmental stimuli such as pH or temperature. Stimuli-responsive polymeric membranes have attracted the attention of researcher all around the world owing to their potential applications in the fields of controlled drug delivery, bio separation, water treatment, and chemical sensors. Acrylic acid (AAc), well known for its novel pH-sensitive behavior in aqueous media was successfully grafted on the surface and in the pores of polycarbonate track etched membrane (PCTE). The influence of reaction parameters such as monomer concentration, reaction time, temperature and concentration of the initiator on the grafting yield was investigated in detail. The membranes were characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The pH-responsive behaviour of the PCTE-g-AAc membranes was studied. The PCTE-g-AAc membranes exhibit fast and reversible response to the environmental pH.
Keywords
)