PolyHIPE polymers are highly porous materials that are synthesized from HIPE emulsions. These materials can be synthesized in different shapes and sizes. What makes these HIPE emulsions so special is a very high percentage of the internal phase (over 74%), which gives the polymers their porous structure and consequently extraordinary properties. They can also be functionalized for different uses in many different fields of science.
When working on my master’s thesis I synthesized multiple polymer samples with varying porosity (70, 80, 85 and 90%). I measured the pressure drop of the samples as well as their permeability. Their structure was analyzed using SEM microscopy and computer software. Their hydrodynamic properties were studied using HPLC.
The aim of my master’s thesis was to study the structural properties of the synthesized polyHIPE polymers that are described especially how the permeability of the said polymers is dependent on their porosity.
The polyHIPE polymers were relatively straight forward to synthesize with properties that were reliable and robust for different porosities. The acquired results have shown the dependence of porosity and permeability.
|