Nanostructured polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex pervaporation membranes for ethanol recovery: the relationship between the membrane structure and separation performance

Polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes (PESCs) were fabricated through the interaction of poly(acrylic acid) and four different cationic surfactants or their mixtures. PESC membranes were prepared by solution casting method and were applied in ethanol recovery from aqueous solution via pervaporation. Elemental analysis (EA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle (CA) measurement, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray scattering were employed to characterize the composition, structure and properties of PESCs. The results reveal that the investigated PESCs are similar in hydrophobicity but different in hierarchical nanostructures. In separating 5 wt% ethanol/water mixture, PESC membranes with high crystallinity will have both low flux and ethanol selectivity because of the high packing density and low permeability of crystalline regions. Meanwhile, the hierarchical nanostructures of PESC membranes change under pervaporation environment as was revealed by in situ synchrotron radiation X-ray scattering measurement. That is, the crystalline region could melt at high temperature in swelling state, thus consequently enhancing the ethanol selectivity.