Preparation of anion exchange membrane based on block copolymers. Part II: the effect of the formation of macroreticular structure on the membrane properties

The anion exchange membrane was prepared by conducting the formation of macroreticular structure and the introduction of ion exchange groups to the chloromethyIated copolymers simultaneously. The membrane properties are summarized below; 0.9-1.4 Omega cm(2) for area resistivity in 2 M KCl aqueous solution, 1.46-3.7 meq/g-dry-resin for the ion exchange capacity and 0.68-0.87 for the static transport number. The membrane properties of the membrane prepared by forming the macroreticular structure and the introduction of the ion exchange groups to the chloromethylated copolymers simultaneously (B membrane) had higher performance than that of the membrane prepared by the amination of the chloromethylated copolymers (A membrane). It would be expected that the formation of macroreticular structure in the membrane has an effect on the membrane properties. The chemical stability of B membrane which was determined by the oxidative degradation in 2 M nitric acid, had long lifetime with almost the same value of the area resistivity and ion exchange capacity as before durability test. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.