Fabrication of ordered lamellar polyacrylamide/P123 composite membranes via solvent-evaporation-induced self-assembly

A series of composite membranes of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (P123) and polyacrylamide (PAM) have been successfully prepared by solvent-evaporation-induced self-assembly. Micellar self-assembly of P123 in aqueous solution plays an important role as a model for the formation of composite membranes. XRD patterns show that the synthesized compositions are in a lamellar mesostructure. The lattice spacing changes with P123 concentration: the higher the concentration of P123, the smaller the lattice spacing of the composite membranes. The data on sizes and zeta potentials of pure p-PAM aggregates, P123 micelles, p-PAM/P123 mixtures, and c-PAM/P123 composite aggregates suggest that interactions take place between PAM and P123 aggregations. The fabrication of the lamellar membranes via water-evaporation-induced self-assembly is recorded by fluorescent emission spectroscopy and dynamic light-scattering methods. Based on analysis of the results, a tentative mechanism for the formation of the lamellar membranes has been proposed.

Graphical abstractA possible schematic process of the transformation of the morphology of the composite aggregates formed by hydrogen bonds during the process of solvent-evaporation-induced self-assembly.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide