Recent progress on fabrication and applications of advanced block copolymer membranes

The challenges of membrane science include the breakthrough of trade-off effect between the permeability and selectivity, antifouling, stability, etc. The key to the achievement of the membrane versatile properties is to develop the advanced membrane materials. Block copolymer, in which the molecular size and periodicity of the characteristic fragment are thermodynamically or kinetically manipulated, can provide well-defined and ordered nanoscale structure as well as diverse properties in one signal material, exhibit a great potential for the development of next-generation high-performance membranes. In this review, we focus on the self-assembly of block copolymers that modulate membrane pore formation and surface properties during phase inversion into membranes in different application systems, which includes (1) overview of the commercial common block copolymers, (2) mechanisms of copolymer self-assembly and influencing factors of membrane pore formation, and (3) classification and application of various block copolymer (BCP) membranes. Although the BCP membranes presented extensive opportunities in the type of porous and dense membrane structure for the water treatment, gas separation and fuel cell separator, so far, the key bottleneck for the large-scale production and commercialization of BCP membranes still needs to seek for the appropriate strategies to break. But certainly, the block copolymers contribute an unprecedented platform for structure-based development of membrane technology. Therefore, we finally summarize the future required efforts of BCP membranes regarding the aspects of the cost-effective block copolymer materials, green polymer solvent and fine-tuning pore forming strategies.