GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Under the provisions of the regulations for the degree

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

will be held the

DISSERTATION THESIS DEFENSE

for

Benjamin Jean

(Advisor: Mark Losego)
  
“Designing the Structure of Inorganic Clusters Within Vapor Phase Infiltrated Polymer Membranes to Control Properties”

on

Monday, November 25, 2024

at 11:30 AM
in Love 210
and via Teams:

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NzFmZTFiNjItZDkwYS00N2Y4LWJkZmUtOWNiZmNmNTc3MmU5%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22482198bb-ae7b-4b25-8b7a-6d7f32faa083%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22a15799c2-8e3d-4545-8a39-d3dc943c1032%22%7d

  Committee Members:

Prof. Mark Losego, MSE

Prof. Ryan Lively, ChBE

Prof. Faisal Alamgir, MSE

Prof. Marta Hatzell, ME

Prof. Matthew McDowel, MSE

Abstract:

Vapor phase infiltration (VPI) creates new pathways for synthesizing organic-inorganic hybrid materials with tailored properties, particularly for applications such as chemical separation membranes. The chemistries and processes employed in VPI dictate how inorganic species are integrated into polymer matrices, ultimately influencing the properties of the resulting hybrid materials. This technique incorporates inorganic species at the molecular level while preserving the macroscale structure of the polymer, enabling post-fabrication modifications to materials. Despite its potential, a fundamental understanding of how the structure of infiltrated inorganic species influences material properties remains limited. This thesis aims to bridge this gap by exploring the intricate relationships between processing conditions, precursor chemistry, and the resulting hybrid structures.

This thesis will focus on the fundamental inorganic structure in infiltrated materials and its impact on material properties, particularly membrane performance. Initially, this study examines how precursor chemistry affects infiltration parameters, including mass uptake kinetics, binding energy, inorganic loading, and the properties of hybrid membrane materials. Subsequently, advanced spectroscopic techniques are employed to elucidate cluster structure, connectivity, and size, highlighting the role of these characteristics in enhancing hybrid membrane performance. By gaining new insights into the physicochemical structure of the inorganic components within these infiltrated hybrid materials, this research bridges the gap between process-structure and structure-property relationships, ultimately advancing the understanding of vapor phase infiltrated materials. The findings aim to optimize VPI technology for various applications, with a particular emphasis on infiltrated PIM-1 membranes for organic chemical separations.