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  MSE / Research / Projects / Oxygen Barrier Membranes

Oxygen Barrier Membranes
Materials: Organic Nanomaterials Composites
Application: Nanotechnology Structural
Technique: Processing Characterization Synthesis

The objective of this project is to develop new silsesquioxane-based barrier membranes that use silsesquioxane nanofillers to block the passage of oxygen through the membrane. The goal is to develop films that are more stable than current ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers but with the same barrier properties.

Current commercial barrier membranes produced Kuraray have oxygen transport rates (OTRs) of 0.4-1.2 cc-mil/100 ln2-day-atm. However, the films are not stable above about 200°C. We have discovered that the new epoxy resin systems that show CTEs of near 25 ppm/°C (see Delplhi project) also show excellent barrier properties with OTRs of < 1.0 and with thermal sta-bilities to near 300°C (Td5%)
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