Performance studies of mixed matrix membranes for gas separation: A review

Interfacially polymerized layers for oxygen enrichment: a method to overcome Robeson's upper-bound limit

Interfacial polymerization of four aqueous phase monomers, diethylenetriamine (DETA), m-phenylenediamine (mPD), melamine (Mela), and piperazine (PIP), and two organic phase monomers, trimethyl chloride (TMC) and cyanuric chloride (CC), produce a thin-film composite membrane of polymerized polyamide layer capable of O2/N2 separation. To achieve maximum efficiency in gas permeance and O2/N2 permselectivity, the concentrations of monomers, time of interfacial polymerization, number of reactive groups in monomers, and the structure of monomers need to be optimized. By controlling the aqueous/organic monomer ratio between 1.9 and 2.7, we were able to obtain a uniformly interfacial polymerized layer. To achieve a highly cross-linked layer, three reactive groups in both the aqueous and organic phase monomers are required; however, if the monomers were arranged in a planar structure, the likelihood of structural defects also increased. On the contrary, linear polymers are less likely to result in structural defects, and can also produce polymer layers with moderate O2/N2 selectivity. To minimize structural defects while maximizing O2/N2 selectivity, the planar monomer, TMC, containing 3 reactive groups, was reacted with the semirigid monomer, PIP, containing 2 reactive groups to produce a membrane with an adequate gas permeance of 7.72 × 10(-6) cm(3) (STP) s(-1) cm(-2) cm Hg(-1) and a high O2/N2 selectivity of 10.43, allowing us to exceed the upper-bound limit of conventional thin-film composite membranes.

MOF-polymer composite microcapsules derived from Pickering emulsions

Hollow composite microcapsules are prepared by the assembly of pre-formed nanocrystals of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) around emulsion droplets, followed by interfacial polymerisation of the interior. The micropores of the MOF crystals embedded within a semipermeable hierarchically structured polymeric membrane are an effective combination for the retention of encapsulated dye molecules. Release can be triggered however by acid dissolution of the MOF component.

Determination of carbon dioxide transport coefficients in liquids and polymers by NMR spectroscopy

In liquids and in polymeric membranes, a precise determination of their transport properties is of paramount importance. In this work, an NMR method to measure sequentially the solubility and diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide in liquids (n-alkanes and 1-alkanols) and in polymer membranes (polyethylene, polybutadiene, and polycarbonate) is described. The results show that NMR measurements are very reproducible and in good agreement with those determined by other methods. Considering that the gas permeability is defined as the product of the solubility and diffusion coefficients, the method allows the determination of all transport parameters in an accurate manner. The influence of chain length, viscosity, and solubility parameters on the transport coefficients of [(13)C]O(2) in alkanes and 1-alkanols was also analyzed and compared to those measured in polyethylene.