Hydrophilic block copolymers and membranes prepared therefrom (II)

1. A block copolymer of the formula: A-B-A (I) or A-B (II),

wherein block A is:

(i) a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether, said polymer having allyl groups; or

(ii) a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether wherein one more of the allyl groups have been replaced with 1,2-dihydroxypropyl group or a group of the formula: —(CH 2 ) a —S—(CH 2 ) b —X, wherein a is 3 and b is 1 to 3, and X is selected from an acidic group, a basic group, a cation, an anion, a zwitterion, halo, hydroxyl, acyl, acyloxy, alkylthio, alkoxy, aldehydo, amido, carbamoyl, ureido, cyano, nitro, epoxy, a group of the formula —C(H)(COOH)(NH 2 ), and a group of the formula —C(H)(COOH)(NHAc), or a salt thereof; and

block B is an aromatic hydrophobic polymeric segment selected from polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene ether, polycarbonate, poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone), polyether ketone, polyether ether ketone, polyether ketone ketone, polyimide, polyetherimide, and polyamide-imide;

wherein said polyphenylene ether is of the formula

 wherein n is the number of repeat units.

2. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the polymer of allyl glycidyl ether has a repeat unit of the formula:

wherein R is allyl.

3. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein block A is a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether wherein one more of the allyl groups have been replaced with 1,2-dihydroxypropyl group or a group of the formula: —(CH 2 ) a —S—(CH 2 ) b —X, wherein a and b are independently 1 to 3, and X is a group selected from an acidic group, a basic group, a cation, an anion, a zwitterion, halo, hydroxyl, acyl, acyloxy, alkylthio, alkoxy, aldehydo, amido, carbamoyl, ureido, cyano, nitro, epoxy, a group of the formula —C(H)(COOH)(NH 2 ), and a group of the formula —C(H)(COOH)(NHAc), or a salt thereof.

4. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterion is a quaternary ammonium alkyl sulfonate group of the formula —N + (R 1 R 2 )(CH 2 ) c SO 3 − , wherein R 1 and R 2 are alkyl groups and c is 1 to 3.

5. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the aromatic hydrophobic polymeric segment is polyethersulfone.

6. The block copolymer of claim 1 , which has one of the following structures:

wherein n, m 1 , and m 2 are independently about 10 to about 1000.

7. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein block A is present in an amount of about 20% to about 60 mol % and block B is present in an amount of about 40% to about 80 mol %.

8. The block copolymer of claim 7 , wherein block A is present in an amount of about 40% to about 55 mol % and block B is present in an amount of about 45% to about 60 mol %.

9. A method of preparing a block copolymer of claim 1 ; the method comprising:

(i) providing an aromatic hydrophobic polymeric segment having one or more terminal functional groups selected from hydroxy, mercapto, and amino groups; and

(ii) carrying out ring opening polymerization of allyl glycidyl ether on the aromatic hydrophobic polymeric segment.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ring opening polymerization is carried out in the presence of a base.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the base is selected from potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, cesium carbonate, sodium tertiary butoxide, potassium tertiary butoxide, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, barium carbonate, barium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, sodium amide, and lithium amide, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ring opening polymerization is carried out in a solvent selected from N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and N-methylpyrrolidone, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the aromatic hydrophobic polymeric segment has the formula:

wherein n is about 10 to about 1000.

14. A porous membrane comprising an aromatic hydrophobic polymer and a block copolymer of claim 1 .

15. A method of preparing a porous membrane comprising an aromatic hydrophobic polymer and a block copolymer of claim 1 , comprising:

(i) preparing a polymer solution comprising a solvent and said aromatic hydrophobic polymer and said block copolymer;

(ii) casting the polymer solution as a thin film;

(iii) subjecting the thin film to phase inversion to obtain a porous membrane; and optionally

(iv) washing the porous membrane.

16. A porous membrane comprising an aromatic hydrophobic polymer and a block copolymer of the formula: A-B-A (I) or A-B (II),

wherein block A is:

(i) a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether, said polymer having allyl groups; or

(ii) a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether wherein one more of the allyl groups have been replaced with 1,2-dihydroxypropyl group or a group of the formula: —(CH 2 ) a —S—(CH 2 ) b —X, wherein a is 3 and b is 1 to 3, and X is selected from an acidic group, a basic group, a cation, an anion, a zwitterion, halo, hydroxyl, acyl, acyloxy, alkylthio, alkoxy, aldehydo, amido, carbamoyl, ureido, cyano, nitro, epoxy, a group of the formula —C(H)(COOH)(NH 2 ), and a group of the formula —C(H)(COOH)(NHAc), or a salt thereof; and

block B is an aromatic hydrophobic polymeric segment.

17. The porous membrane of claim 16 , wherein block copolymer has one of the following structures:

wherein n, m 1 , and m 2 are independently about 10 to about 1000.

18. A block copolymer of the formula: A-B-A (I) or A-B (II), wherein block A is:

a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether wherein one more of the allyl groups have been replaced with 1,2-dihydroxypropyl group or a group of the formula: —(CH 2 ) a —S—(CH 2 ) b —X, wherein a is 3 and b is 1 to 3, and X is selected from an acidic group, a basic group, a cation, an anion, a zwitterion, halo, hydroxyl, acyl, acyloxy, alkylthio, alkoxy, aldehydo, amido, carbamoyl, ureido, cyano, nitro, epoxy, a group of the formula —C(H)(COOH)(NH 2 ), and a group of the formula —C(H)(COOH)(NHAc), or a salt thereof; and

block B is an aromatic hydrophobic polymeric segment selected from polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene oxide, polycarbonate, poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone), polyether ketone, polyether ether ketone, polyether ketone ketone, polyimide, polyetherimide, and polyamide-imide.