The Importance of Nanomaterials in Gas Separation

Abstract

Polymeric membranes found its application for gas separation in last fourty years. But they have some disadvantages such as low permeability and selectivity. Researchers have focused on to increase those features of membranes incorporating porous micro or nano-sized particles into polymeric matrix. We used zeolite 3A, 4A, 5A and 13X, and MOFs as fillers in polyimide to manufacture mixed matrix membrane (MMM). Zeolites have been used as supplied, but MOF-5 [(Zn4O[(OOC)2 center dot C6H4]3)], Cu/MOF-5, Co/MOF-5, Ni/MOF-5, Co/Cu/MOF-5, Ni/Cu/MOF-5, and Ni/Co/MOF-5 were synthesized. Zeolites, MOFs and membranes have been characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermal analysis (TGA/DTG). MOF particles and PI showed a good compatibility while zeolite and PI showed poor compatibility and the MMMs including zeolite were more brittle. Zeolite/PI-MMM reached the Robeson trade-off line for CO2/CH4 separation while MOF/PI-MMM reached the trade-off line for H-2/CO2 separation at 3 Bar and 5w% of particles in the membrane. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.