UV-crosslinked chitosan/polyvinylpyrrolidone blended membranes for pervaporation

Chitosan is an important biomacromolecule and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is a biocompatible synthetic polymer. The crosslinked chitosan/PVP blended membranes were prepared via UV irradiation. The as-prepared membranes have a highly crosslinked chitosan/PVP network structure originated from self-crosslinking of PVP and branching of chitosan onto PVP chains during UV irradiation. UV-Crosslinking significantly enhanced the mechanical strength and thermal stability of the blended membranes. Their highest tensile strength is twice as much as that of the pristine chitosan membrane. Maintaining the same swelling degree of the pristine chitosan membrane, the blended membranes have high sorption selectivity towards methanol and water. The as-prepared membranes exhibit an excellent performance in pervaporation separation of methanol/ethylene glycol and water/ethanol and show great potential as new biomedical materials and in the removal of alcohol and water from organics.