Structure and Pervaporation Properties of Poly(phenylene-iso-phthalamide) Membranes Modified by Fullerene C 60 Anastasia V. Penkova,* Galina A. Polotskaya, Alexander M. Toikka, Miroslava Trchova ´, Miroslav S ˇ louf, Martina Urbanova ´, Jir ˇı ´ Brus, LibusˇeBrozˇova ´, Zbyne ˇk Pientka Introduction Polymer modification by carbon nano-size particles is a way for the development of advanced membrane materials. Among carbon particles, fullerenes have attracted special attention due to their unique chemical and physical properties. [1] In the case of fullerene C 60 addition to polymers and their possible interaction, the p-electron system of the C 60 molecule is subjected to minimum transformations. Fullerene retains its unique properties in the polymer matrix, but the properties of the polymer itself changes to a different extent. [2–5] In the last few years, some kinds of membranes based on different polymers were modified by C 60 that is the most stable and widespread fullerene with molecule radius equal to 0.375 nm. [6–17] Polystyrene modification by dispersing 1–2% fullerene improves gas transport properties; the positive effect is directly related to structure peculiarities of new membrane materials. [8,9] Membranes consisting of Matrimid and dispersed benzylamine-modified fullerene were studied. [10] Matrimid and the fullerene derivative interact strongly and exhibit elevated glass transition Full Paper A. V. Penkova, A. M. Toikka Department of Chemical Thermodynamics & Kinetics, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetsky pr. 26, Petrodvoretz, Saint Petersburg 198504, Russia E-mail: stasya84@gmail.com G. A. Polotskaya Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoy pr. 31, Saint Petersburg, 199004, Russia M. Trchova ´, M. S ˇ louf, M. Urbanova ´, J. Brus, L. Broz ˇova ´, Z. Pientka Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovsky sq. 2, Prague 162 06, Czech Republic Homogeneous membranes based on PA/C 60 composites were obtained and their internal morphology was visualized using SEM. The interaction between PA and C 60 was studied by spectroscopic methods. The effect of C 60 inclusion in the PA matrix on physical properties was characterized by measurement of the intrinsic viscosity, density, and glass transition temperature. Transport properties of pure PA and composite mem- branes were studied in pervaporation of the metha- nol/cyclohexane mixture. It was found that all membranes were essentially permeable for metha- nol. The permeability and so-called inverse selective separation properties were improving for mem- branes containing 2 and 5 wt.-% C 60 , whereas they decreased for higher C 60 content. 432 Macromol. Mater. Eng. 2009, 294, 432–440 ß 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim DOI: 10.1002/mame.200800362