Crosslinked integrally skinned asymmetric polyaniline membranes for use in organic solvents

Solvent stable integrally skinned asymmetric nanofiltration membranes were prepared from polyaniline. These membranes were made by phase inversion and then crosslinked using two different chemical crosslinkers, α,α′-dichloro-p-xylene and glutaraldehyde. The resultant membranes were found to be stable in various organic solvents including acetone, methanol, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran and N,N-dimethyl formamide. Nanofiltration experiments carried out in acetone and dimethyl formamide showed that the membranes gave stable permeate fluxes and good separation performances in the nanofiltration range. Molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of the membranes was found to be between 150 and 250 g mol−1. These membranes were also found to be stable for operations at elevated temperatures up to 70 °C and possibly higher. Furthermore, no fillers or preservative agents are required to maintain the membranes in a dry state thereby increasing the ease of handling.