Melt processable poly (vinyl alcohol) blends and poly (vinyl alcohol) based membranes
Technologies and implementations for providing melt processable poly(vinyl alcohol) blends and poly(vinyl alcohol) based membranes are generally disclosed.
1. A melt-processable polymer blend comprising:
a first polymer blend comprising a first polymer including poly(vinyl alcohol) and a second polymer including 2-glucosyloxyethyl methacrylate; and
a third polymer selected to provide post melt processing flexibility to the polymer blend, wherein a melt viscosity ratio of the first polymer blend to the third polymer is selected to render the melt-processable polymer blend a co-continuous phase structure upon melt processing.
2. The melt-processable polymer blend of claim 1 , wherein the third polymer comprises at least one of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) polymer, a polyolefin polymer, a nylon or a polyester.
3. The melt-processable polymer blend of claim 2 , wherein the polyolefin polymer comprises at least one of a polyethylene polymer or a polypropylene polymer.
4. The melt-processable polymer blend of claim 1 , wherein the second polymer comprises the 2-glucosyloxyethyl methacrylate incorporated in a linear acrylic polymer.
5. The melt-processable polymer blend of claim 1 , wherein the second polymer comprises the 2-glucosyloxyethyl methacrylate incorporated in a core-shell acrylic polymer.
6. The melt-processable polymer blend of claim 1 , wherein the melt viscosity ratio is a first melt viscosity of the first polymer blend to a second melt viscosity of the third polymer.
7. The melt-processable polymer blend of claim 6 , wherein a volume ratio of the first polymer blend to the third polymer is a first volume fraction of the first polymer blend to a second volume fraction of the third polymer.
8. The melt-processable polymer blend of claim 7 , wherein the volume ratio is substantially equal to the viscosity ratio.