PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NEW SYNTHETIC NONCROSS-LINKED ANION-EXCHANGE MEMBRANES

New synthetic noncross-linked anion exchange membranes have been prepared by casting a solution of quaternized chloromethylstyrene-methyl methacrylate copolymers containing 64.0, 42.9, 19.7, 12.9 and 11.0 mol-% chloromethylstyrene. The ion exchange capacity, water content and physicochemical properties (membrane potential and transport number) of these membranes were studied. The results showed that the copolymers can be fabricated in membrane form after treatment with tertiary amine, of which the membranes produced from the 12.9 and 11.0 mol-% copolymer exhibited excellent dimensional stability and mechanical strength towards dilute alkali solution, dilute acid solution and salt solution, and were soluble in a variety of organic solvents, such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone and methanol. Their anion transport numbers determined from the membrane potential measurements in 0.01 N and 0.3 N KCl solution were 0.96 and 0.97, respectively.