Poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) grafted poly(vinyl chloride)s synthesized via ATRP process and their membranes for dye separation

To functionalize poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) for various applications, monomers containing tertiary amine group are incorporated into PVC via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiated by the labile chlorines in their backbones. The kinetics of synthesis was carefully investigated, and it is proven that the grafting polymerization process can be effectively controlled by regulating the reaction time. The membranes are fabricated using PVC and copolymers by non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process. The hydrophilicity and pore structure of copolymer membranes were enhanced as well, these membranes are endowed with positive charge. When PDMA% ( i.e. , the PDMA weight percentage in copolymer) is 31.1%, the flux and Victoria blue B rejection are 26.0 L·m -2 ·h -1 (0.5 MPa) and 91.2%, respectively. Thus, the newly synthesized polymer is proven to be a promising material for dye separation with positive charges.