Ultra-thin composite carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes were fabricated on well-defined inorganic alumina substrates using a polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM) as a precursor. Details of the pyrolysis-related structural development were elucidated using focused-beam, interference-enhanced spectroscopic ellipsometry (both in the UV–vis and IR range), which allowed accurate determination of the film thickness, optical properties as well as following the chemical transformations. The pyrolysis-induced collapse of thin and bulk PIM-derived CMS membranes was compared with CMS made from a well-known non-PIM precursor 6FDA–DABA. Significant differences between the PIM and non-PIM precursors were discovered and explained by a much larger possible volume contraction in the PIM. In spite of the differences, surprisingly, the gas separation properties did not fundamentally differ. The high-temperature collapse of the initially amorphous and isotropic precursor structure was accompanied by a significant molecular orientation within the formed turbostratic carbon network guided by the laterally constraining presence of the substrate. This manifested itself in the development of uniaxial optical anisotropy, which was shown to correlate with increases in gas separation selectivity for multiple technologically important gas pairs. Reduction of CMS skin thickness significantly below ∼1 μm induced large losses in permeability coefficients with only small to moderate effects on selectivity. Remarkably, skin thickness reduction and physical aging seemed to superimpose onto the same trend, which explains and strengthens some of the earlier fundamental insights.

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The protein-adsorbing and -repelling properties of various smart nanometer-thin polymer brushes containing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(acrylic acid) with high potential for biosensing and biomedical applications are studied by in situ infrared-spectroscopic ellipsometry (IRSE). IRSE is a highly sensitive nondestructive technique that allows protein adsorption on polymer brushes to be investigated in an aqueous environment as external stimuli, such as temperature and pH, are varied. These changes are relevant to conditions for regulation of protein adsorption and desorption for biotechnology, biocatalysis, and bioanalytical applications. Here brushes are used as model surfaces for controlling protein adsorption of human serum albumin and human fibrinogen. The important finding of this work is that IRSE in the in situ experiments in protein solutions can distinguish between contributions of polymer brushes and proteins. The vibrational bands of the polymers provide insights into the hydration state of the brushes, whereas the protein-specific amide bands are related to changes of the protein secondary structure.

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