Preparation and characterization of pH-sensitive polyethersulfone hollow fiber membranes modified by poly(methyl methylacrylate-co-4-vinyl pyridine) copolymer

In this study, a novel polyethersulfone (PES) hollow fiber membrane with pH-sensitivity was prepared using a copolymer of poly(methyl methylacrylate-co-4-vinyl pyridine) (P(MMA–4VPy)) as an additive. The copolymer was synthesized via free radical solution polymerization, and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The PES/P(MMA–4VPy) membranes showed excellent pH-sensitivity and pH-reversibility and exhibited good Cu(II) ion adsorption property. Furthermore, the effect of Cu(II) ion adsorption on the membrane pH-sensitivity was investigated.