Polymeric pseudo-liquid membranes from poly(octadecyl methacrylate)

• Liquid membranes were prepared from rubbery polymer, poly(octadecyl methacrylate).
• The present polymeric pseudo-liquid membranes transported KCl.
• The present polymeric pseudo-liquid membrane showed chiral separation ability.
• The membrane transport was attained by carrier-diffusion mechanism.
• Polymeric pseudo-liquid membranes are applicable to membrane separation.

The novel liquid membrane system, which is named polymeric pseudo-liquid membrane, was constructed from poly(octadecyl methacrylate) (PC18MA), which showed a rubbery state under operating conditions, as a membrane matrix, and dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) for the transport of KCl or O-allyl-N-(9-anthracenylmethyl)cinchonidinium bromide (AAMC) for that of racemic mixture of phenylglycine (Phegly) as a carrier. The results of KCl transport revealed that KCl transport was attained by carrier-diffusion mechanism even though membrane matrix was composed of polymeric material. The polymeric pseudo-liquid membrane containing chiral carrier AAMC showed optical resolution ability, in other words, the membrane selectively transported l-Phegly and its permselectivity toward l-Phegly reached 1.48 at the operating temperature of 40 °C. Chiral separation ability was greatly dependent on the operating temperature and a wide range of permselectivity from l-isomer to d-isomer permselectivity was attained by adjusting the operating temperature. The present study revealed that the polymeric pseudo-liquid membrane is a promising membrane system in membrane separation.

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