Event
ChBE Seminar: Jianqiang Meng, Tianjin University
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
11:00 a.m.
2108, Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Building
Dongxia Liu
301.405.3522
liud@umd.edu
Speaker: Jianqiang Meng, Professor of Materials Science Technology, Tianjin Polytechnic University
Title: Tuning the microstructure of the functional layer for improved performance of composite polymeric membranes
Abstract:
Composite membranes have drawn intensive attention in recent years due to the water scarcity and energy depletion issues. They used to be prepared by phase inversion with functional polymers as membrane additives, surface coating and surface grafting. The surface grafting method has been frequently used by academic researchers due to its high efficiency altering membrane surface properties with minimal detrimental effects on bulk properties. However, there remains a challenge to develop convenient and efficient grafting techniques for tethering polar functional polymers onto the chemically-inert membrane surface, especially for the construction of functional layer with complicated structures. The traditional grafting chemistry is not sufficient to produce composite membranes with a well-controlled functional layer. To address these challenges, controlled grafting chemistries were explored to finely tune the microstructure of the functional layer and expand the application of these membranes. A series of tailored grafting chemistry were developed and a series of novel functional membranes having specific adsorption, catalytic as well as oil/water emulsion filtration properties were synthesized.
