Hydrophilic molecular sieve surface layer formation in hydrophobic poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) membranes

► Vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV)-irradiated poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) membranes. ► Structure changed from a C=O bond-rich to a SiO2-rich surface after VUV irradiation. ► Surface layer prepared by VUV irradiation showed molecular sieve property.