FLUORINATED SILANE SURFACE MODIFIED POLYETHERSULFONE MEMBRANES AND METHOD OF MAKING THEREOF

1 . A polymeric microporous membrane, comprising a modified surface obtained from coating with at least one fluorinated organosilane compound.

2 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric membrane is selected from polymeric sulfone membranes, polyethylene membranes, polypropylene membranes, polyvinylidene difluoride membranes, polyacrylonitrile and polyamide membranes.

3 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 2 , wherein the polymeric membrane is a polymeric sulfone membrane.

4 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated organosilane compound comprises at least one perfluorinated polyether moiety.

5 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated organosilane compound comprises

(a) at least one organosilane moiety;

(b) at least one fluorinated moiety and/or at least one fluorinated alkyl and/or at least one fluorinated alkoxy moiety.

6 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated organosilane compound is a compound according to formula (1)

Rf 1 —[-Q-SiY 3-x —R 1 x ] y   formula (1)

wherein Rf 1 represents a monovalent or divalent polyfluoropolyether group,

Q represents an organic divalent linking group,

R 1 represents a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group,

Y represents a hydrolysable group;

x is 0 or 1 and y is 1 or 2.

7 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 6 , wherein in formula (1), Rf 1 comprises linear, branched, and/or cyclic structures, that may be saturated or unsaturated.

8 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 6 , wherein in formula (1), Rf 1 comprises perfluorinated repeating units selected from the group of 10-(C n F 2n )—,—(C n F 2n O)—,—(CF(Z))—,—(CF(Z)O)—,—(CF(Z)C n F 2n O)_′—(C n F 2n CF(Z)O)—,—(CF 2 CF(Z)O)—, and combinations thereof.

9 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 8 , wherein Z is a perfluoroalkyl group, an oxygen-substituted perfluoroalkyl group, a perfluoroalkoxy group, or an oxygen-substituted perfluoroalkoxy group, all of which can be linear, branched, or cyclic, and preferably have 1 to 9 carbon atoms and 0 to 4 oxygen atoms.

10 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 6 , wherein Q comprises linear, branched, or cyclic structures, that may be saturated or unsaturated.

11 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 6 , wherein Y is selected from methoxy, ethoxy and propoxy groups, chlorine and an acetoxy group.

12 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated organosilane compound according to formula (2)

Rf{—X—[Si(Y) 3-x (R) x ] y } z   formula (2)

wherein

Rf is a polyfluoropolyether group;

X is a divalent or trivalent organic linking group;

each Y is independently halogen, alkoxy, hydroxyl, acyloxy, polyalkyleneoxy, or aryloxy;

x is 0 or 1 or 2;

y is a value from 1 to 8; and

z is 1 or 2.

13 . A process for producing a surface-modified polymeric membrane, comprising the following steps:

(I) Providing a polymeric membrane;

(II) Applying a solution comprising at least one fluorinated organosilane compound according to any one of the preceding claims to the polymeric membrane; and

(III) Irradiating the polymeric membrane with electron beam.

14 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein irradiating with actinic radiation is carried out an irradiation dose of a mean value in the range of from 10 to 300 kGy, preferably in the range of from 20 to 280 kGy, more preferably in the range of from 30 to 250 kGy, even more preferably from 40 to 230 kGy.

15 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein the solution comprises the at least one fluorinated organosilane compound in an amount in the range of from 0.1 wt.-% to 20 wt.-%, preferably of from 0.5 wt.-% to 15 wt.-%, and more preferably of from 1 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the solution.