Description:
Market Opportunity
Porous polymer membranes are widely used in purification, filtration and various biomedical applications. Currently these porous polymer membranes are produced by solution phase processing. This process, however, is inherently disadvantaged by the solubility requirements of its precursors, restricting the combinations of different materials that can be used. This limits the degree of chemical and structural control of the polymer thus limiting the efficacy of the membrane in many applications. There is therefore a need for an improved method for producing porous polymer membranes.
USC Solution
USC researchers have developed a solvent-free method of fabricating porous polymer membranes. As this method does not involve solvents, the solubility of precursors is therefore not an issue, thus allowing for combinations of materials that are not possible with existing methods. Furthermore the porosity of these membranes can be easily controlled by adjusting the temperature and pressure of the process.
Value Proposition
- Solvent-free fabrication
- Broad precursor compatibility
- Easy to fine tune
Application
- Production of porous polymer membrane
Publications
Simultaneous Polymerization and Solid Monomer Deposition for the Fabrication of Polymer Membranes with Dual-Scale Porosity, Macromolecules, April 5, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1021/ma302607c
Stage of Development
- Tested
- Available for exclusive license