SYNTHESIS AND POLYMERIZATION OF THE PERFLUOROALKANES HAVING AN ALKOXYSILYLSTYRENE GROUP AT ONE END AND APPLICATION OF THE RESULTING POLYMERS TO OXYGEN AND ETHANOL PERMSELECTIVE MEMBRANES

Perfluoroalkanes having an alkoxysilylstyrene group at one end, p-(1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluoroalkyloxy-dimethylsilyl)styrenes(1) and p-(1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluoroalkyldialkoxysilyl)styrenes(2), were synthesized and polymerized. The resulting polymers were applied to separation membranes. In situ formed poly(1) membranes obtained by bulk polymerization were tough and showed good oxygen permselectivity. The chemical structures of poly (1)'s, in which perfluoroalkyl side chains were connected to the backbone by Si-O-C spacer bonds, are likly to yield high oxygen permselectivity. Blend membranes of poly(1) with polydimethylsiloxane exhibited high ethanol permselectivity. This was attributed to water repellency of poly(1) which accumulated at the surface. In the case of blend membranes of poly(2) with polydimethylsiloxane, the reaction of functional groups in poly(2) in membrane caused oxygen permselectivity to enhance.