Reactive amphiphilic graft copolymer coatings applied to poly(vinylidene fluoride) ultrafiltration membranes

Amphiphilic graft copolymers, composed of a poly(cyclooctene) backbone with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and phenyl azide grafts and pendant groups, were synthesized and applied as coatings to commercially available poly(vinylidene fluoride) ultrafiltration (PVDF-UF) membranes. The structure and tunable nature of this type of graft copolymer, in terms of graft density and functionality, make it appealing for enhancing the properties of existing polymer membranes with regards to membrane fouling. Photoinduced cross-linking of the graft copolymer coating provides a means by which the coating resists delamination from the underlying membrane, which in turn provides a mechanism for preventing fouling of the membrane when exposed to oil-in-water emulsions. Significant differences in fouling between the coated and uncoated PVDF-UF membranes are shown.