Diluent crystal alignment in the formation of membranes via liquid-solid thermally induced phase separation

Liquid-solid thermally induced phase separation (L-S TIPS), in which a diluent crystallizes within a liquid polymer matrix, has been used to produce microporous materials previously. However, little work has been done applying this concept to membrane formation due to the fact that these materials are tortuous and show no advantage over other microporous materials. This paper suggests a method of crystal alignment in L-S TIPS, which could lead to microporous membranes of high porosity, high selectivity, and low tortuosity.