Characterization of Cation-exchange Membranes Prepared from PVA-based Block Copolymers

Abstract

We prepared novel cation-exchange membranes （CEMs） from synthesized PVA-based block copolymers with various contents of cation-exchange groups, C^m_SSS. The CEMs were cross-linked physically by annealing them, and cross-linked chemically with 0.01 vol.％ of a glutaraldehyde （GA） solution. The water content of the CEMs increased with increasing ion-exchange capacity of the CEMs. The membrane resistance of the CEM with C^m_SSS=13 mol.％ was 0.81Ωcm² and only one third of a commercial CEM, Neosepta^® CMX although the dynamic state transport number of the PVA-based CEM was 0.93, which is about 5 ％ lower than that of 0.98 for CMX.