Polymer organic-inorganic materials for membrane technology, their characteristics and properties

Organo-inorganic nanocomposite glassy films are obtained by the sol-gel method via hydrolytic polycondensation reactions of silicon and titanium alkoxides in solutions of polymers of different chemical compositions. The polymer structure and interaction with oxides in the films are investigated by FTIR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, using a particle size analyzer and a number of physicochemical methods. The presence of nanosized (from ∼20 to 370 nm) particles of the oxides in the structure of hybrid films is confirmed. It is shown that the best practically useful properties are exhibited by the composite films with strong organo-inorganic polymer-oxide networks. Such films may be used for creating membranes and sorbents for water purification from harmful organic and ionic admixtures.