Smart polymer composite materials for water processing

In this thesis, three types of responsive material for water processing are developed: responsive separation membrane, responsive forward osmosis draw agent, and responsive adsorbent. Introduction of thermally responsive polymer endows the responsive membrane with controllable separation ability and high separation efficiency. The swelling behavior / kinetic study efficiently reveals the swelling pressure and FO performance of thermally responsive hydrogel draw agent, advancing the development of desired draw agent. Thermally reversible ion sorption is achieved inside the metal organic framework by amphoteric functionalization, showing high adsorption capacity, accessibility of ion adsorption sites, and excellent cycling performance.