Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Poly(Arylene Ether Sulfone) for Desalination Application

Poly(arylene ether sulfone)s are known as high performance thermoplastic polymers which are broadly used in membrane technology. In this study, a novel poly(arylene ether sulfone) was synthesized through condensation polymerization of 4,4’-thiodiphenol and dichlorodiphenyl sulfone. 1H-NMR and IR spectroscopies were used to determine the chemical structure of polymer. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to characterize thermal properties, molecular weight, and morphologies of the polymer. The static contact angle measurement was demonstrated hydrophilicity of the polymer. Polymer films and related membranes were prepared by means of phase inversion method. The obtained results confirmed that these membranes had potential applications for water desalination process.