Supercritical CO2 assisted formation of composite membranes containing an amphiphilic fructose-based polymer. (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tabernero, Antonio; Baldino, Lucia; González-Garcinuño, Álvaro; Cardea, Stefano; del Valle, Eva M. Martín; Reverchon, Ernesto
• Is Part Of: Journal of CO₂ utilization. Volume 34(2019)
• Page Start: 274
• Page End: 281
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: Cellulose acetate -- PVDF-HFP -- Levan -- Supercritical CO2 -- Membrane -- Foam; Carbon dioxide -- Periodicals; Carbon dioxide -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Carbon dioxide mitigation -- Periodicals; Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide -- Environmental aspects; Carbon dioxide mitigation; Periodicals; 628.53205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcou.2019.06.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2212-9820

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Supercritical phase inversion was used to create new composite membranes. An amphiphilic polymer (levan) was included into CA and PVDF-HFP membranes. Levan increased cellular adhesion and reduced mechanical properties for PVDF-HFP. Levan caused a type of "foaming effect" on PVDF-HFP membranes. Levan increased mechanical resistance and cellular adhesion for CA membranes. Abstract: With the aim of increasing the mechanical and biological properties of different materials, a supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2 ) assisted technique was used to include a polymer with a natural origin (levan) in membranes of cellulose acetate (CA) and polyvinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP). CA-levan membranes were characterized by interconnected pores ranging from 9 to 13 μm; due to levan addition, composite membranes increased their mechanical resistance and cells adhesion (from 8% to 30%). In the second system, the processing of a PVDF-HFP-DMSO-levan colloidal suspension system caused a morphological modification and the generation of a foam-like structure; a decrease of the mechanical resistance and an increase of cells adhesion (from 8% to 35%) were observed. Stress-strain responses for both systems were fitted using two different hyperelastic equations, Yeoh and Ogden; deviations from experimental data lower than 15% were obtained. In conclusion, SC-CO2 assisted process was able to generate composite structures with levan, accessible to the cells; i.e., transforming polymers like CA and PVDF-HFP in potentially useful materials for biological applications.