Effect of the percentage of sulfonation monomer in hydrophilicity of sulfonated poly (arylene ether sulfone) water treatment membranes

Sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s with various sulfonation ratios were prepared by direct aromatic electrophilic substitution polycondensation and evaluated as a water treatment membrane for desalination application. For increasing hydrophilicity, sulfonated dichloro diphenyl sulfone as a monomer was synthesized and characterized. Then, copolymers with 10, 15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 wt % sulfonation were prepared. To evaluate the relevant properties of synthesized sulfonated monomer and polymer FT-IR, H-NMR, Viscosity, and hydrophilicity tests were applied. Results showed that the presence of sulfonated groups in the structure increased the hydrophilicity remarkably. The copolymer containing 45% SDCDPS level in sulfonated poly (arylene ether sulfone) showed optimal results and had higher molecular weight.