Self-assembled tri-block terpolymer blend membranes reinforced with poly(methyl methacrylate)-coated gold nanoparticles obtained through phase inversion technique

The blend membranes of polystyrene-block-polyisoprene-block-polystyrene and polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polycaprolactone were designed using the phase inversion technique. The poly(methyl methacrylate)-coated gold nanoparticles are around 40–50 nm in size. The honeycomb-shaped nanopores were uniformly dispersed in polystyrene-block-polyisoprene-block-polystyrene/polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polycaprolactone/poly(methyl methacrylate)-coated gold nanoparticles blend membranes. There was a 16% increase in tensile strength and a 33% increase in tensile modulus of polystyrene-block-polyisoprene-block-polystyrene/polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polycaprolactone/poly(methyl methacrylate)-coated gold nanoparticles 1 relative to the neat membrane. With 1 wt% nanoparticles, the membrane showed a higher water flux of 59.2 mL cm−2 min−1 and a salt rejection ratio of 25.4%, while the polystyrene-block-polyisoprene-block-polystyrene/polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polycaprolactone membrane without poly(methyl methacrylate)-coated gold nanoparticles had lower flux (43.8 mL cm−2 min−1) and salt rejection (18.5%).