Preparation of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene membranes via a thermally induced phase-separation method

Porous, flat membranes of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene were prepared as thermally resistant and solvent-resistant membranes by the thermally induced phase-separation method. Diphenyl ether and decalin were chosen as the diluents. The phase diagrams were drawn with the cloud-point temperatures and the crystallization temperatures. According to the phase diagrams, scanning electron microscopy images, and porosities of the samples, the influential factors, including the polymer concentration, cooling rate, and viscosity, were investigated. Porous ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene membranes with thermal and solvent resistance could be prepared with suitable diluents and cooling rates by the thermally induced phase-separation method.