Preparation and characterization of very thin polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) and their application to the transport of thiocyanate

The possibility of reproducible fabrication of functioning polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) thinner than 10 μm, referred to as very thin PIMs (VT-PIMs), was demonstrated with four membrane compositions used successfully in previous studies for the extraction of thiocyanate. These compositions included Aliquat 336 as extractant (carrier) and 70 wt% of one of the following base polymers: poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), cellulose triacetate (CTA) or poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP). One PVC- and one CTA-based PIMs contained 10 wt% 1-tetradecanol as modifier and 20 wt% Aliquat 336, while another CTA-based PIM and the PVDF-HFP-based PIM contained only 30 wt% Aliquat 336.