Abstract
Covalently cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol/epoxy resin membranes were prepared with different ratios of epoxy resin and cross-linking time in polyphosphoric acid (PPA). The structure and the membrane swelling behavior were investigated by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). It was found that fewer hydrophilic segments resulted in fewer and smaller hydrophilic domains during structural reorganization upon water swelling. The analogous swelling behavior of the membranes in the mixture of water and methanol has also been found. With higher content of epoxy resin, fewer hydrophilic segments aggregated into smaller hydrophilic domains and the distance between the two incompatible microdomains decreased.
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