Development of High-Performance Cellulose Propanoate Ester/1,2,3-Propanetriol composite Membranes: Enhancing thermal stability with transparency

Abstract

This study presents the development of Cellulose Propanoate Ester (CP)/1,2,3-propanetriol composite membranes as a sustainable alternative to conventional Cellulose Acetate (CA)-based membranes, which typically exhibit reduced thermal stability when porous structures are introduced. The incorporation of 1,2,3-propanetriol into the CP polymer matrix resulted in significant plasticization and controlled pore formation under applied gas pressure. Gas permeance measurements revealed that the CP/1,2,3-propanetriol composite membrane, with permeability initiating at 2.5 bar, demonstrated superior mechanical strength compared to the CA/1,2,3-propanetriol composite membrane, which began permeation at just 0.6 bar. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed extensive pore formation in the CP membrane, achieving a porosity of 53.4 % at 3 bar. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis highlighted the plasticizing effect of 1,2,3-propanetriol, and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) demonstrated the superior thermal stability of the CP/1,2,3-propanetriol composite membrane compared to both neat CP and CA membranes, despite increased porosity. Furthermore, the CP membrane retained its transparency, indicating that robust mechanical properties can be achieved without crystalline structure. The combination of mechanical strength, transparency, and thermal stability makes CP/1,2,3-propanetriol composite membranes a promising alternative to CA-based membranes for a range of applications.