U.S. patent application number 16/433705 was filed with the patent office on 2019-10-03 for thin film composite membranes for fluid separations.
The applicant listed for this patent is King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Invention is credited to Zain ALI, Ingo PINNAU.
Application Number | 20190299168 16/433705 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62683385 |
Filed Date | 2019-10-03 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190299168 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ALI; Zain ; et al. |
October 3, 2019 |
THIN FILM COMPOSITE MEMBRANES FOR FLUID SEPARATIONS
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe, among other
things, methods of separating fluids comprising contacting a
defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite membrane with a fluid
composition and capturing one or more chemical species from the
fluid composition.
Inventors: |
ALI; Zain; (Thuwal, SA)
; PINNAU; Ingo; (Thuwal, SA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology |
Thuwal |
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SA |
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|
Family ID: |
62683385 |
Appl. No.: |
16/433705 |
Filed: |
June 6, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16356343 |
Mar 18, 2019 |
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16433705 |
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PCT/IB2018/053670 |
May 23, 2018 |
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16356343 |
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62520067 |
Jun 15, 2017 |
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62515237 |
Jun 5, 2017 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 69/125 20130101;
B01D 2325/04 20130101; B01D 2256/12 20130101; B01D 67/0006
20130101; B01D 71/56 20130101; B01D 53/228 20130101; B01D 2257/102
20130101; B01D 2257/504 20130101; B01D 2256/16 20130101; B01D 69/02
20130101; B01D 2256/245 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B01D 69/12 20060101
B01D069/12; B01D 67/00 20060101 B01D067/00; B01D 53/22 20060101
B01D053/22; B01D 71/56 20060101 B01D071/56; B01D 69/02 20060101
B01D069/02 |
Claims
1. A method of separating fluids, comprising: contacting a
defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite membrane with a fluid
composition; and capturing one or more chemical species from the
fluid composition.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid composition is in a
liquid phase, a gas/vapor phase, or a combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid composition includes
one or more of H.sub.2, CO.sub.2, CH.sub.4, O.sub.2, N.sub.2,
H.sub.2O, and He.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more captured chemical
species have a kinetic diameter of less than about 3.5 .ANG..
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the defect-free
polyamide-thin-film composite membrane exhibits a H.sub.2/CO.sub.2
selectivity of at least 10.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] In the last few decades, a direct correlation between
industrial greenhouse gas emissions and global temperature rise has
been established. At the same time global energy demand continues
to rise. A way to sustainably transport energy is to use hydrogen
gas, which has a high energy storage capacity of 119 MJ/kg and
produces only water upon combustion. Approximately
8.3.times.10.sup.11 m.sup.3 of hydrogen--carrying 6.times.10.sup.12
MJ of energy--is produced annually, with over 90% from fossil fuels
(mainly methane and coal) or derivatives such as biomass. A much
smaller fraction is produced using water electrolysis.
[0002] During steam cracking of natural gas (steam-methane
reforming, SMR), methane is first reacted with water at
.about.800.degree. C. to produce CO and H.sub.2. Then the
H.sub.2/CO feed is converted at about 350.degree. C. into a mixture
of H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2. Composition of output streams can vary
depending on the specific method employed. A typical SMR plant
produces a 75/20 H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 ratio with 5% methane and <1%
other impurities. Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC)
plants can produce H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 ratios of 50/50.
[0003] Currently about 50% of hydrogen is used for the production
of ammonia for use as fertilizer by the Haber process, while the
remaining is employed in hydrocracking i.e. breaking large
hydrocarbons into smaller ones for use as fuel. Smaller proportions
are used for production of methanol, plastics, pharmaceuticals,
hydrogenation of oils, desulfurization of fuels, etc. Hydrogen
production is growing at 10% annually, but it is estimated that
availability of lower-cost could immediately boost its use by 500
to 1000%.
[0004] The state-of-the-art technologies for H.sub.2 purification,
i.e. cryogenic distillation and pressure swing adsorption, are
energy intensive. This adds a significant cost for synthesized
hydrogen estimated around 30% of total plant capital and operating
cost. Estimates show that membrane-based H.sub.2/CO.sub.2
separation can reduce process costs up to 80% compared to
distillation. Such debottlenecking of H.sub.2 production processes
could enable the dream of a hydrogen-driven economy.
[0005] The USDOE lists membrane performance targets for hydrogen
purification from syngas mixtures. See Table 1. A number of
materials are being considered, including inorganics such as carbon
molecular sieve, zeolite, and metal membranes, and glassy polymers
such as polybenzimidazole and polyimides. The latter have been
explored both in pristine form and with nanoparticles. The economic
and environmental benefits of using membranes for H.sub.2/CO.sub.2
separations have been discussed by others arguing that use of
membranes with high H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 selectivities (>10) can
significantly reduce hydrogen production cost. Proteus.TM. by
Membrane Technology & Research Inc. is a commercial membrane
offering H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 selectivity of approximately 11 with
H.sub.2 permeance of 500 GPU (1 GPU=10.sup.-6 cm.sup.3(STP)
cm.sup.-2 s.sup.-1 cmHg) during 150.degree. C. mixed-gas
operation.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 USDOE specified requirements for
H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 membranes Low fabrication cost: approximately 100
USD/ft.sup.2 or lower Ability to manufacture large membrane areas
and modules High operating temperature: 130-150.degree. C. and
above High pressure operability: 7 bar and above High hydrogen
purity and recovery High durability: around 5 years Performance:
H.sub.2 permeance > 200 GPU Mixed-gas H.sub.2/CO.sub.2
selectivity @ 150.degree. C. > 12 (IGCC operation)
[0006] Interfacial polymerization (IP) is a commercial method for
fabricating thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. Pioneered by
Cadotte (U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,344), IP has been employed in industry
for decades to fabricate TFCs with polyamide active layers used for
desalination by reverse osmosis (RO). These TFCs have a structure
of partially cross-linked polyamide fabricated by reacting
m-phenylenediamine (MPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) on a
microporous polysulfone support. The original membrane of this
chemistry was named "FT-30". This membrane and derivatives thereof
are currently employed in more than 15,000 desalination plants,
accounting for 90% of the global market.
[0007] In commercial settings, the FT-30-type TFC membranes are
produced by impregnating (via dipping or spraying) a highly porous
support material (usually polysulfone) with MPD dissolved in water.
The support roll passes through a roller and is very briefly (less
than 60 seconds) exposed to TMC dissolved in a hydrocarbon solvent
(n-hexane or Isopar.RTM.). All solutions are at room temperature
(20-25.degree. C.). The membrane is then immediately exposed to
high temperatures (.apprxeq.20-100.degree. C.) for drying and
curing of the polyamide. All such membranes have been laboriously
studied and reported in the literature with no useable gas
separation properties for commercial separation processes.
[0008] Accordingly, it would be desirable to form a thin-film
composite membrane with properties suitable for gas separations
using fabrication methods that are energy efficient and low
cost.
SUMMARY
[0009] In general, embodiments of the present disclosure describe
thin-film composite membranes, including methods of fabricating a
thin-film composite membrane and methods of separating fluid
compositions via the thin-film composite membranes of the present
disclosure.
[0010] Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure describe
a method of fabricating a thin-film composite membrane comprising
immersing a porous support in an aqueous solution containing a
diamine; and contacting the immersed porous support with an organic
solution containing an acyl chloride for at least 5 minutes and at
a temperature of at least 50.degree. C. to form via interfacial
polymerization a polyamide thin film on the porous support.
[0011] Embodiments of the present disclosure further describe a
method of separating fluids comprising contacting a defect-free
polyamide-thin-film composite membrane with a fluid composition and
capturing one or more chemical species from the fluid
composition.
[0012] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a thin-film
composite membrane comprising a defect-free polyamide-thin-film
composite membrane for separating fluid compositions, wherein the
membrane is formed via an interfacial polymerization reaction in
which a porous support impregnated with an aqueous solution
containing a diamine is contacted with an organic solution
containing an acyl chloride for at least 5 minutes and at a
temperature of at least 50.degree. C.
[0013] The details of one or more examples are set forth in the
description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be
apparent from the description and from the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014] This written disclosure describes illustrative embodiments
that are non-limiting and non-exhaustive. In the drawings, which
are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals describe
substantially similar components throughout the several views. Like
numerals having different letter suffixes represent different
instances of substantially similar components. The drawings
illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of
limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present
document.
[0015] Reference is made to illustrative embodiments that are
depicted in the figures, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method of fabricating a
thin-film composite membrane, according to one or more embodiments
of the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a method of separating
fluid compositions, according to one or more embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of custom-made thin-film
pure-gas permeation setup, according to one or more embodiments of
the present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a mixed-gas permeation
system, according to one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an aromatic polyamide
structure via interfacial polymerization reaction between
m-phenylene diamine and trimesoyl chloride, according to one or
more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0021] FIGS. 6a-6f are graphical views illustrating pure-gas
separation performance of the thin-film composite membranes,
according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In
particular, FIGS. 6a, 6c, and 6e are graphical views of permeance
(GPU) versus kinetic diameter (A), according to one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 6b, 6d, and 6f are
graphical views of selectivity for various species in fluid
compositions, according to one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 7 is FTIR spectra for polysulfone and thin-film
composite membranes of the present disclosure, according to one or
more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIGS. 8a-8b illustrate gas separation performance, according
to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In
particular, FIG. 8a is a graphical view showing pure-gas
temperature dependence for H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 of the 0.1TMC-100C
membrane, according to one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure. FIG. 8b is a graphical view of a Robeson plot comparing
gas separation performances of various membranes, according to one
or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a SEM image of fabricated thin-film composite
membranes, according to one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0025] FIGS. 10a-10b are graphical views of comparisons of a
0.1TMC-60 thin-film composite membrane and thick, isotropic
poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) film, including (a) pure-gas
selectivity data and (b) permeability data (0.1TMC-60 thickness was
assumed to be 7.5 nm), according to one or more embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 11 is a graphical view illustrating an effect of
cross-flow rate on 0.1TMC-100 H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 separation factor,
according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] The invention of the present disclosure relates to thin-film
composite membranes, including methods of fabricating thin-film
composite membranes and methods of separating fluid compositions
using the thin-film composite membranes. The thin-film composite
membranes of the present disclosure may include at least a
polyamide thin film on a porous support. The polyamide thin film
may be formed on the porous support via interfacial polymerization
by contacting a porous support impregnated with an aqueous solution
containing a diamine with an organic solution containing an acyl
chloride for at least about 5 minutes at a temperature of at least
about 50.degree. C. Fabricating thin-film composite membranes
according to the methods of the present disclosure may produce
highly crosslinked defect-free ultrathin-film composite membranes
with unprecedented gas separation performance characteristics and
high stability. The thin-film composite membranes of the present
disclosure may be easily and economically manufactured, making them
especially attractive candidates for H.sub.2 purification, among
other separation applications.
[0028] Interfacial polymerization is a polymerization reaction that
occurs at an interface between an aqueous solution containing a
monomer and an organic solution containing another monomer.
Interfacial polymerization for synthesis of thin-film composite
(TFCs) polyamide membranes fabricated on highly porous supports was
first applied for water desalination. The TFCs showed excellent
desalination properties (rejection) and high water flux as well as
high chemical stability, low fabrication cost, and the ability to
be manufactured reproducibly in large surface areas. These
polyamide membranes have been in commercial production and used for
water desalination purposes for decades, but exhibit no gas
separation capabilities.
[0029] Gas separation properties of commercial state-of-the-art
polyamide membranes exhibit Knudsen diffusion, implying surface
defects rendering them unsuitable for gas separation applications
because gas-pair selectivity is very low due to transport by pore
flow. Only a few attempts were made to manufacture TFCs by
interfacial polymerization for gas separation applications, but all
reported literature confirmed none of the membranes exhibited any
potential for large-scale commercial gas separation
applications.
[0030] In commercial settings, the membranes are produced by
impregnating a highly porous support material with a multi-amine
dissolved in water. The support roll passes through a roller and is
very briefly (e.g., for 10 to 60 seconds) exposed to a
multi-functional acyl halide dissolved in a hydrocarbon solvent.
All solutions and reactions occur at room temperature (e.g.,
20.degree. C. to 25.degree. C.). The membrane is then immediately
exposed to high temperature ranging from 80.degree. C. to
100.degree. C. for drying and curing of the polyamide. All such
membranes have been laboriously studied and reported in the
literature with no useable gas separation properties for commercial
separation processes. Gas permeation studies of FT-30-type
membranes (made from m-phenylene diamine and trimesoyl chloride)
established that they exhibited Knudsen diffusion, implying surface
defects.
[0031] Accordingly, the invention of the present disclosure relates
to, among other things, the fabrication of highly crosslinked
defect-free ultrathin polyamide membranes with unprecedented gas
separation properties. Gas transport is determined by a
solution/diffusion process, as opposed to the conventional Knudsen
diffusion (pore flow) mechanism, which is observed for previously
reported TFCs made by interfacial polymerization. The novel TFC
membranes formed according to the methods of the present disclosure
are particularly suitable for numerous large-scale commercial gas
separation applications. At least some of the novel features of the
present invention include long contact (reaction) times (.gtoreq.5
minutes) to enable the formation of a defect-free polyamide layer
and reaction temperatures preferably .gtoreq.50.degree. C., more
preferably .gtoreq.80.degree. C., and most preferably
.gtoreq.100.degree. C. These novel features and others are
described in greater detail herein.
Definitions
[0032] The terms recited below have been defined as described
below. All other terms and phrases in this disclosure shall be
construed according to their ordinary meaning as understood by one
of skill in the art.
[0033] As used herein, "capturing" refers to the act of removing
one or more chemical species from a bulk fluid composition (e.g.,
gas/vapor, liquid, and/or solid). For example, "capturing" may
include, but is not limited to, interacting, bonding, diffusing,
adsorbing, absorbing, reacting, and sieving, whether chemically,
electronically, electrostatically, physically, or kinetically
driven.
[0034] As used herein, "contacting" refers to the act of touching,
making contact, or of bringing to immediate or close proximity,
including at the cellular or molecular level, for example, to bring
about a physiological reaction, a chemical reaction, or a physical
change, e.g., in a solution, in a reaction mixture. Accordingly,
treating, tumbling, vibrating, shaking, mixing, and applying are
forms of contacting to bring two or more components together.
[0035] As used herein, "contacting" may, in the alternative, refer
to, among other things, feeding, flowing, passing, injecting,
introducing, and/or providing the fluid composition (e.g., a feed
gas).
[0036] As used herein, "defect-free" refers to a selective polymer
film that permeates gases by a molecular solution/diffusion
mechanism with gas-pair selectivites higher than those obtained by
pore flow, specifically Knudsen diffusion.
[0037] As used herein, "immersing" refers to, among other things,
dipping, spraying, coating, pouring, submerging, wetting, and any
other method known in the art.
[0038] As used herein, "TFC" or "TFCs" refers to thin-film
composite membranes.
[0039] In general, the thin-film composite membranes may be
multi-layered. For example, the thin-film composite membranes may
include one or more of a porous support, a gutter layer, a
selective layer, and a protective layer. In many embodiments, as
described in more detail herein, the thin-film composite membranes
include a selective layer--for example, the polyamide thin
film--fabricated on a porous support. Other embodiments may further
include a gutter layer and/or protective layer. In embodiments
further including a gutter layer, the gutter layer is provided
between the selective layer and the porous support. In some
embodiments, the gutter layer prevents diluted polymer solution
from penetrating the porous support and blocking pores. The gutter
layer may include or be fabricated from, for example, intrinsically
microporous polymers, such as di-substituted polyacetylenes, ladder
polymers and polyimides, and other highly gas permeable glassy and
rubbery polymers known in the art. In embodiments further including
a protective layer, the protective layer is provided on an opposing
side of the selective layer and otherwise exposed. A protective
layer may be applied to protect the selective layer for membrane
module fabrication. In many embodiments, a protective layer is
preferably not included, as the polyamide layer is generally defect
free (e.g., substantially defect free).
[0040] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method 100 of fabricating
a thin-film composite membrane, according to one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, a porous
support is immersed 101 in an aqueous solution containing a
diamine. The immersed porous support is then contacted 102 with an
organic solution containing an acyl chloride for at least about 5
minutes and at a temperature of at least about 50.degree. C. to
form via interfacial polymerization a polyamide thin film on the
porous support. The thin-film composite membrane may be optionally
dried 103 at room temperature.
[0041] At step 101, a porous support is immersed in an aqueous
solution containing a diamine. Immersing may refer to, among other
things, dipping, spraying, coating, pouring, submerging, wetting,
and any other method known in the art. In some embodiments, the
porous support is fixed to a frame and then the aqueous solution
containing a diamine may be poured thereon sufficient to submerge
the porous support in the diamine-containing aqueous solution. In
many embodiments, immersing the porous support in the
diamine-containing aqueous solution impregnates the porous support
with the aqueous solution containing the diamine. The porous
support may be immersed in the diamine-containing aqueous solution
for about 1 minutes to about 30 minutes. In many embodiments, the
porous support is immersed in the diamine-containing aqueous
solution for about 5 minutes. In the most preferred embodiment, the
porous support is immersed in the diamine-containing aqueous
solution for up to 2 minutes
[0042] The porous support (e.g., porous base membrane or porous
support membrane) may include one or more polymer materials and/or
may be highly porous. The porous support may be in any geometric
form, that is, flat-sheet or hollow fiber. In many embodiments, the
porous support includes polysulfone. In other embodiments, the
porous support includes one or more of polyethersulfone, polyimide,
polyetherimide, polyacrylonitrile, cellulose ester, polypropylene,
polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene difluoride, and poly(arylether)
ketones. The porous support may further include optional backing to
reinforce the porous support. The backing may include a fabric or
non-woven web material. For example, the porous support may be
reinforced by one or more of films, sheets, and nets. The thickness
of the porous support may range from about 50 microns to about 500
microns. In the most preferred embodiments, the thickness of the
porous support ranges from about 50 microns to about 200 microns.
While not a particular focus of the present invention, the porous
support may be fabricated according to methods known in the art.
For example, the porous support may be formed via casting
procedures and/or phase-inversion.
[0043] The aqueous solution contains at least a diamine. In many
embodiments, the diamine is at least m-phenylene diamine and
accordingly the aqueous solution containing a diamine is
m-phenylene diamine dissolved in water. In other embodiments, the
diamine includes one or more of m-phenylene, p-phenylene diamine,
3,5-diaminobenzoic acid, diaminotoluene, diaminophenol, diamino
resorcinol, 3,5-diaminobenzonitrile, piperazine, and combinations
thereof. The concentration of the diamine in the aqueous solution
may range from about 0.1 wt/vol % to about 10 wt/vol %. In many
embodiments, the concentration of the diamine in the aqueous
solution is about 1 wt/vol %. In other embodiments, the
concentration of the diamine in the aqueous solution is about 2
wt/vol %.
[0044] At step 102, the immersed porous support is then contacted
102 with an organic solution containing an acyl halide. The organic
solution containing an acyl halide may be immiscible or
substantially immiscible in the aqueous solution containing the
diamine. For example, the organic solution may be a
water-immiscible solvent containing any hydrocarbon. The
hydrocarbon of the organic solution may include a linear or
branched saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, or aromatic
hydrocarbon. In many embodiments, the organic solution includes one
or more of n-hexane and ISOPAR.TM.. ISOPAR.TM., an iso-paraffinic
fluid, is a series from ExxonMobil Chemical that includes, but is
not limited to, ISOPAR.TM. E, ISOPAR.TM. G, ISOPAR.TM. H,
ISOPAR.TM. L, and ISOPAR.TM. M. In many embodiments, the acyl
halide is an acyl chloride, such as trimesoyl chloride. In other
embodiments, the acyl chloride includes one or more of trimesoyl
chloride, terephthalic acid chloride, and isophthalic acid
chloride. In some embodiments, the acyl chloride is
multifunctional. In a preferred embodiment, the concentration of
the acyl chloride monomer is less than about 0.1 wt/vol %. In
general, the concentration of the acyl chloride monomer may range
from about 0.01 wt/vol % to about 1 wt/vol %. In some embodiments,
the organic solution containing a multi-functional acyl halide may
further include other additives.
[0045] The immersed porous support (e.g., the porous support
impregnated with the aqueous solution containing the diamine) is
contacted with the organic solution containing an acyl chloride to
initiate interfacial polymerization and form a polyamide thin film
that is adherent to the porous support. The polyamide thin film may
be ultrathin. For example, a thickness of the polyamide thin films
may range from about 5 nm to about 500 nm. In many embodiments, the
thickness of the polyamide thin film is about 100 nm. In the most
preferred embodiment, the thickness of the polyamide thin film is
less than 10 nm.
[0046] The polyamide thin-film composite membranes produced
according to the methods of the present disclosure (e.g., via
interfacial polymerization) are defect-free (e.g., substantially
defect-free). To produce defect-free polyamide thin films, the
immersed support may be contacted with the organic solution
containing an acyl chloride for extended periods of time. In
conventional methods, the contact time is very short and ranges
from about 10 seconds to about 60 seconds. Conventional membranes
formed via short contact times exhibit no potential for gas
separation applications. In many embodiments of the present
disclosure, the immersed support is contacted with the organic
solution containing an acyl chloride for at least about 5 minutes.
By extending the contact time according to the present method, the
polyamide thin films unexpectedly exhibited defect-free (e.g.,
substantially defect free) characteristics with enhanced and/or
increased selectivity for, for example, gas separation
applications. Extending the contact time allows the diamine to
continue to diffuse into the reaction zone over time, filling
larger defect-pores with polymer. Once this occurs, the mode of
transport shifts from Knudsen flow to solution-diffusion, and
selectivity increases. In this way, among other things, the
defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite membranes of the present
disclosure exhibit unprecedented gas separation properties.
[0047] The selectivity of the thin-film composite membranes may
also relate to a degree of crosslinking. The thin-film composite
membranes produced via interfacial polymerization according to
methods of the present disclosure increase the degree of
crosslinking and/or are highly crosslinked. The degree of
crosslinking may range from about 0 to about 1. In many
embodiments, the degree of crosslinking ranges from about 0.3 to
about 0.7, or from about 0.65 to about 0.99. In general, as the
degree of crosslinking increases, permeance may decrease for
chemical species with larger kinetic diameters (e.g., greater than
about 3.0 .ANG.).
[0048] An increase in a degree of crosslinking may be observed as
the concentration of the acyl chloride decreases and/or as the
temperature of the organic phase increases. For example, as the
ratio of diamine to acyl chloride increases (e.g., concentration of
acyl chloride decreases), permeance for larger gas molecules (e.g.,
CO.sub.2) decreases due to increased crosslinking. Permeance may
decrease and selectivity may increase due to a shrinking of free
volume elements, resulting in narrower pathways and hindering
transport of larger gas molecules while having no significant
effect on smaller gas molecules. In addition, an increase of
organic-phase temperature may increase crosslinking, affecting gas
molecules larger than H.sub.2, for example, and increasing
selectivity significantly. This is unexpected because the reaction
between a diamine and acyl chloride is generally exothermic, and
heating the organic phase is expected to lower the rate of polymer
formation as equilibrium shifts to reduce heat in the system,
resulting in non-continuous films with decreased crosslinking.
However, an increase in reaction-zone temperature increases the
overall reaction rate and/or reaction kinetics, as well as
solubility and diffusivity of the diamine in the organic phase
(e.g., reaction zone), resulting in increased formation of amide
linkages and thus increased crosslinking.
[0049] A highly crosslinked, defect-free polyamide-thin-film
composite membrane may exhibit unprecedented selectivity for
various chemical species, compounds, molecules, etc. in a fluid
composition for various separation applications thereof. For
example, the thin-film composite membranes may exhibit a high
selectivity for certain chemical species and negligible selectivity
for other certain chemical species. In many embodiments, the
selectivity is at least 10. The thin-film composite membranes may
exhibit a molecular-sieve-like cut-off at various kinetic
diameters. In many embodiments, the thin-film composite membranes
may exhibit a high selectivity for chemical species with a kinetic
diameter of less than about 3 .ANG. with other gases of larger
dimensions than 3 .ANG.. For example, the thin-film composite
membranes may exhibit a selectivity for hydrogen (k.sub.d is about
2.89 .ANG.) over carbon dioxide (k.sub.d is about 3.30 .ANG.),
oxygen (k.sub.d is about A), nitrogen (k.sub.d is about 3.64
.ANG.), and/or methane (k.sub.d is about 3.80 .ANG.). Moreover, the
thin-film composite membranes may also exhibit a selectivity for
oxygen over nitrogen, carbon dioxide over nitrogen, and/or carbon
dioxide over methane. Other combinations are possible. These
examples shall not be construed as limiting.
[0050] Accordingly, tuning various reaction conditions,
concentrations, parameters, etc. may allow the fabrication of
highly crosslinked, defect-free thin-film composite membranes for
specific applications. In many embodiments, the immersed support is
contacted with the organic solution containing an acyl chloride for
at least about 5 minutes and at a temperature of at least about
50.degree. C. In other embodiments, the temperatures and duration
of contacting may vary. The temperature at which the immersed
porous support is contacted with the acyl chloride-containing
organic solution may range from at least about 50.degree. C. to at
least about 100.degree. C. In a preferred embodiment, the
temperature of the contacting is at least about 80.degree. C. In a
most preferred embodiment, the temperature of the contacting is at
least about 100.degree. C. The duration for which the immersed
support is contacted with the acyl chloride-containing organic
solution may range from about 0.1 minute to about 30 minutes. In a
preferred embodiment, the duration of contacting is at least about
5 minutes.
[0051] At step 103, the thin-film composite membrane may be
optionally dried at room temperature. In conventional methods, the
membrane must be immediately exposed to high temperatures ranging
from about 80.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. to facilitate
drying and curing of the thin film. By only requiring temperatures
at about room temperature, the invention of the present disclosure
provides an enhanced method that is energy efficient and cost
effective relative to conventional methods. In some embodiments,
the period of drying time is about 24 hours. However, shorter or
longer periods of drying time may be sufficient, as the period of
drying time may vary widely and depend on the composition of the
thin-film composite membrane and other factors, such as the steps
and/or methods used to fabricate it.
[0052] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a method 200 of separating
fluids, according to one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the method includes contacting 201
a defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite membrane with a fluid
composition and capturing 202 one or more chemical species from the
fluid composition.
[0053] At step 201, a defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite
membrane is contacted with a fluid composition. The defect-free
polyamide-thin-film composite membrane is contacted with the fluid
composition. Contacting may refer to, among other things, feeding,
flowing, passing, injecting, introducing, and/or providing the
fluid composition (e.g., a feed gas). The contacting may occur at
various pressures, temperatures, and concentrations of chemical
species in the fluid composition, depending on desired feed
conditions and/or reaction conditions. The pressure, temperature,
and concentration at which the contacting occurred may be varied
and/or adjusted according to a specific application. In many
embodiments, the contacting may occur with a feed temperature
between about 120.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C. and a pressure
above 10 bar. At least one novel feature of the present invention
is that defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite membrane may be
contacted at high temperatures and pressures, which are suitable
for gas separations, without degradation. In this way, the
defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite membrane exhibits high
thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability.
[0054] The defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite membrane may
include any of the thin film composite membranes described herein
and/or produced according to the methods of the present disclosure.
In a preferred embodiment, the composite membrane may include a
defect-free polyamide thin film made from m-phenylene diamine and
trimesoyl chloride formed on a polysulfone porous support. In other
embodiments, the porous support may include one or more of
polyethersulfone, polyimide, polyetherimide, polyacrylonitrile,
cellulose ester, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene
difluoride, and poly(arylether) ketones. In addition, the polyamide
thin film may be formed from a diamine and an acyl chloride. For
example, the diamine may include, but is not limited to one or more
of p-phenylene diamine, 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid, diaminotoluene,
diaminophenol, diamino resorcinol, 3,5-diaminobenzonitrile,
piperazine, and combinations thereof. The acyl chloride may
include, but is not limited to, one or more of trimesoyl chloride,
terephthalic acid chloride, isophthalic acid chloride, and
combinations thereof.
[0055] The fluid composition may include one or more chemical
species in a liquid phase, a gas/vapor phase, a solid phase, or a
combination thereof. In many embodiments, the fluid composition is
in a gas/vapor phase. The gas/vapor phase may include natural gas,
syngas, flue gas, etc. In many embodiments, the gas/vapor phase
includes one or more of H.sub.2, CO.sub.2, CH.sub.4, O.sub.2,
N.sub.2, H.sub.2O, He, and one or more other chemical species. In
many embodiments, the fluid composition includes at least H.sub.2
and CO.sub.2. In some embodiments, the fluid composition includes
at least O.sub.2 and N.sub.2. In some embodiments, the fluid
composition includes at least CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4. In some
embodiments, the fluid composition includes at least H.sub.2 and
N.sub.2. In some embodiments, the fluid composition includes at
least CO.sub.2 and N.sub.2.
[0056] At step 202, one or more chemical species are captured from
the fluid composition. Capturing may refer to the act of removing
one or more chemical species from a bulk fluid composition (e.g.,
gas/vapor, liquid, and/or solid). The capturing of the one or more
chemical species may depend on a number of factors, including, but
not limited to, selectivity, diffusivity, permeability, solubility,
conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, and concentration),
membrane properties (e.g., pore size), and the methods used to
fabricate the membranes. In many embodiments, the capturing of the
one or more chemical species is achieved via a solution/diffusion
gas transport mechanism. The solution/diffusion gas transport
mechanism is observed because, among other things, the
polyamide-thin-film composite membrane is highly cross-linked,
producing a defect-free (e.g., substantially defect free) thin film
composite membrane. In this way, the membranes of the present
invention are superior to conventional membranes. The presence of
surface defects limit conventional membranes to Knudsen
diffusion-type mechanisms based on pore flow. As a result,
conventional membranes suffer from very low gas selectivity and,
accordingly, are not suitable for gas separation applications.
[0057] Embodiments of the present disclosure further describe a
thin-film composite membrane comprising a defect-free
polyamide-thin-film composite membrane for separating fluid
compositions, wherein the membrane is formed via an interfacial
polymerization reaction in which a porous support impregnated with
an aqueous solution containing a diamine is contacted with an
organic solution containing an acyl chloride for at least about 5
minutes and at a temperature of at least about 50.degree. C. The
defect-free polyamide-thin-film composite membrane may include any
of the thin-film composite membranes of the present disclosure
and/or formed according to any of the methods of the present
disclosure.
[0058] The following Examples are intended to illustrate the above
invention and should not be construed as to narrow its scope. One
skilled in the art will readily recognize that the Examiners
suggest many other ways in which the invention could be practiced.
It should be understand that numerous variations and modifications
may be made while remaining within the scope of the invention.
Example 1
Materials
[0059] m-Phenylenediamine (MPD), 99% pure, and trimesoyl chloride
(TMC), 98% pure, were purchased from Aldrich. TMC was vacuum
distilled at 110.degree. C. before use and stored in a desiccator.
The thin-film composite membranes were prepared on mesoporous
(ultrafiltration membrane) polysulfone (PS) supports provided by
Sepro Membranes Inc. The support is composed of a 50 .mu.m-thick
polysulfone resting on a thick (100 .mu.m) macroporous polyester
layer. Isoparaffin G (ISOPAR.RTM.) was obtained from ExxonMobil and
stored with 4 .ANG. molecular sieves to avoid contamination with
atmospheric water vapor. Before use, the solvent was filtered using
a 0.2 um Teflon mesh. Isopropanol, 99.5+% ACS reagent, was bought
from Sigma Aldrich. Deionized water (DIW), 18.2 M cm
W.times.resistivity at 25.degree. C., was obtained from a Millipore
Advantage A10 system. A FT-30 variant (RO4) commercial reverse
osmosis membrane was purchased from Sepro Inc.
[0060] Test gases i.e. helium, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, methane
and carbon dioxide were obtained from Specialty Gas Center (SGC),
with claimed purities >99.99%.
Experimental
[0061] FT-30 style membranes were fabricated varying three
parameters: TMC concentration, TMC temperature, and reaction time.
The support layers (11.5.times.15.5 cm) were immersed in tap water
for about 24 hours prior to fabrication. About 2 wt/vol % of MPD
was dissolved in distilled water and stirred for about 10 minutes.
MPD solution was poured in a container and the support was immersed
for approximately 5 minutes. The support was then removed and
passed through a homemade rubber roller to remove any excess
droplets on the surface, then fixed in a Teflon frame with silicone
o-rings. Isopar.RTM. was heated (as required) and TMC was then
added under reflux and allowed to mix for at least about 20
minutes. TMC solution was poured on the polysulfone surface,
initiating the reaction. After the specified reaction time, excess
solution was poured off. The membrane was immediately washed in the
frame three times with about 30 ml of clean Isopar.RTM. and then
three times with isopropanol. Finally, it was dried at room
temperature for about 24 hours and stored in a desiccator until
testing. Table 2 lists the TFCs prepared. Data for at least 3
samples is reported for each test.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 c T t Membrane (wt/vol %) (.degree. C.)
(seconds) m FT-30 variant Proprietary (N.M) 10 s-0.1TMC-20 C. 0.1
20 10 (N.M) 60 s-0.1TMC-20 C. 0.1 20 60 (N.M) 300 s-0.1TMC-20 C.
0.1 20 300 0.63 600 s-0.1TMC-20 C. 0.1 20 600 (N.M) 300 s-0.1TMC-60
C. 0.1 60 300 0.66 300 s-1TMC-60 C. 1.0 60 300 0.55 300 s-10TMC-60
C. 10.0 60 300 0.39 300 s-0.1TMC-100 C. 0.1 100 300 0.89 The
membrane designation is defined by: Xs (reaction time in seconds =
contact time between organic TMC and aqueous diamine phases); YTMC
(TMC concentration in weight/volume percent); zC (organic phase
temperature in .degree. C.).
[0062] FIG. 3 shows the custom-made thin film pure-gas permeation
setup used. The system was based on the constant pressure/variable
volume method. A Millipore stainless steel cell (active area 13.6
cm.sup.2) was connected to a feed, permeate and retentate line.
Membrane coupons were cut using an EPILOG mini laser cutter and
sealed in the cell. Standard tests were performed at about
22.degree. C.
[0063] Prior to the permeation test, both upstream and downstream
were evacuated for about 10 minutes. The feed gas was then loaded
at about 7.8 bar (100 psig). The permeate side of the membrane was
exposed to about atmospheric pressure (1 bar) and the permeate flow
rate was measured using a bubble flow meter having a volume `V` for
time T with membrane area `A` at a differential pressure
`.DELTA.p`. Time taken to collect `V` was noted until a stable
value was reached (i.e. .+-.1 s). Permeance (in GPU) was calculated
using the following equation:
Permeance - V A .times. t .times. .DELTA. p ##EQU00001##
[0064] Gas permeation properties were measured in the following
order: helium, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, methane and carbon
dioxide. Between each gas permeation test, the membrane cell was
evacuated for about 10 minutes.
[0065] Pure-gas selectivity (a) for each gas pair was calculated
using the following equation:
.alpha. B A = Permeance A Permeance B ##EQU00002##
[0066] For temperature dependence measurements, the cell was heated
using heating tape at the desired test temperature until
equilibration. Test gas was permeated through the system for at
least 5 min to ensure feed side gas temperature equilibration. Due
to small heat capacities of tested gases, the chosen experiment
time was more than sufficient. Pure-gas temperature dependence was
conducted between about 22-140.degree. C. at about 7.8 bar.
[0067] FIG. 4 shows the apparatus used. Initially, CO.sub.2 was
permeated through the system for about 30 minutes to ensure no
atmospheric oxygen in the lines. The preheat coil and cell heating
elements were heated at 140.degree. C. H.sub.2 feed was then
initiated. Both gases were fed at about 500 ml/min totaling to a
cross-flow rate of about 1000 ml/min with H.sub.2:CO.sub.2 of
50:50. Flow rate through the membrane was measured using a bubble
flow meter and permeate composition was measured using an Agilent
Technologies 490 Micro gas chromatograph. The permeate was
collected at room temperature.
[0068] Separation factor is calculated as following:
Seperation factor ( .alpha. ) = Concentration in permeate H 2 /
Concentration in feed H 2 Concentration in permeate CO 2 /
Concentration in feed CO 2 ##EQU00003##
[0069] To confirm presence of relevant functional groups on the
surface of the TFCs, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy
was conducted using a Thermo scientific Nicolet iS10 spectrometer.
A germanium crystal was employed at an angle of 45.degree. to
obtain spectra between 4000-400 cm.sup.-1. Chemical composition of
the surface of the TFC was determined employing a PHI-1600 (X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy) system using a penetration depth of 10
nm.
[0070] FEI Nova NanoSEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) was used for
imaging of the surface and cross-sections of the polymeric films to
examine structural features and layer homogeneity. Samples were
mounted on a metal holder using double-sided carbon tape and
sputter coated with a 2 nm layer of iridium to improve
conductivity. Samples for cross-sectional images were obtained
after initially removing the polyester support and cracking the
PS-polyamide composites after freezing with liquid N.sub.2.
Results
[0071] Commercially produced FT-30 membranes are known to contain
pores larger than gas molecules, as Knudsen selectivity has been
measured in a variety of FT-30 products. FIG. 5 is a schematic
diagram illustrating the structure of a partially cross-linked
polyamide fabricated by reacting m-phenylene (MPD) and trimesoyl
chloride (TMC) on polymeric supports, commercially named FT-30. It
is widely known that these membranes are made with reaction times
under one minute. FIGS. 6a and 6b show how defect-free
characteristics started to emerge at longer reaction times,
increasing selectivity. Permeance for H.sub.2 and He decreased
10-fold while an average decrease of 100-fold was observed for
larger gases. This occurred as MPD continued to diffuse into the
reaction zone over time, filling larger defect-pores with polymer.
Once this occurred, the mode of transport shifted from Knudsen flow
to solution-diffusion, and selectivity increased at 1 min, reaching
an optimum at 5 minutes or greater. 10s-0.1TMC-20C samples
demonstrated identical properties to a commercial FT-30 variant
(RO4) and were used as the reference for comparing the performance
of the TFCs in this work.
[0072] FIGS. 6c-6f show the effects of varying TMC concentration
and temperature. A clear trend started to emerge for gases larger
than hydrogen (kinetic diameter k.sub.d>2.89 .ANG.). No
significant variation was observed for helium and hydrogen. FTIR
spectra (FIG. 7) confirmed the presence of polyamide on all
supports, with no visible difference in chemistry from the
established standard, 10s-0.1TMC-20C. As the ratio of amine to acyl
chloride increased (i.e. TMC concentration decreases), permeance
for CO.sub.2 and larger gases decreased due to increased
crosslinking, evidence of which can be seen in Table 2. This can be
visualized as the shrinking of free volume elements resulting in
narrower pathways, hindering transport for larger gas molecules
while having no significant effect on smaller ones, boosting
selectivity. Similarly, increase of organic-phase temperature
resulted in increased crosslinking, affecting gases larger than
H.sub.2, translating to significant enhancements in selectivity.
This was counterintuitive because the reaction between MPD and TMC
is exothermic, and heating the organic phase is expected to lower
the rate of polymer formation, as equilibrium shifts to reduce heat
in the system, resulting in non-continuous films with decreased
crosslinking. However, increase in reaction-zone temperature
increased the overall reaction rate (or reaction kinetics) as well
as solubility and diffusivity of MPD in the organic phase (reaction
zone), resulting in increased formation of amide linkages and,
hence, increased crosslinking.
[0073] FIG. 7 shows the FTIR spectra of the TFCs along with bare
polysulfone support. After the IP reaction, three new peaks
appeared. The peaks at 1545 cm.sup.-1 and 1660 cm.sup.-1 confirmed
the presence of amide groups on the surface of the composite
membrane. The former related to C.dbd.O stretching in amide I while
the latter corresponded to N--H bending in amide II amide linkage.
The peak at 1610 cm.sup.-1 was associated with aromatic ring
breathing. Because the penetration depth of the IR beam was >0.3
.mu.m, the spectrum of the polysulfone was clearly visible even
after the support was coated with interfacially polymerized
polyamide.
[0074] FIGS. 6d-6f show the same results expressed in terms of
selectivity. High selectivity for H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 and negligible
selectivity for He/H.sub.2 implied a primary molecular-sieve-like
cut-off around 3 .ANG. (k.sub.d for He and CO.sub.2 are 2.60 .ANG.
and 3.30 .ANG. respectively).
[0075] XPS measurements were performed to obtain information about
the chemical surface composition of the TFCs. Relative atomic
concentrations and degree of cross-linking were determined. Degree
of crosslinking, m, measured by XPS, is given in Table 3. "m"
describes the relative fractions of fully cross-linked regions in
the polymer film. See FIG. 5. As m increased from 0.39 to 0.66,
selectivity of hydrogen over CO.sub.2, O.sub.2, N.sub.2 and
CH.sub.4 increased, implying a decrease in the free volume elements
or pores larger than 3 .ANG. (i.e. increased ultramicroporosity).
As crosslinking increased further from 0.66 to 0.89, N.sub.2 and
CH.sub.4 permeances decreased (k.sub.d for N.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 are
3.64 .ANG. and 3.80 .ANG. respectively) but CO.sub.2 and O.sub.2
remain unaffected. This can be explained by a reduction in pores
larger than 3.5 .ANG.. As a consequence, O.sub.2/N.sub.2,
CO.sub.2/N.sub.2 and CO.sub.2/CH.sub.4 selectivities increased.
These are all important large-scale separation applications.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 XPS data for fabricated TFCs Membrane C (%)
O (%) N (%) N/O M 10 s-0.1TMC-20 C. 76.0 13.5 10.5 0.78 0.63 300
s-0.1TMC-60 C. 76.0 13.4 10.7 0.79 0.66 300 s-1TMC-60 C. 76.5 13.5
10.0 0.74 0.55 300 s-10TMC-60 C. 76.2 14.3 9.5 0.66 0.39 300
s-0.1TMC-20 C. 76.0 13.5 10.5 0.78 0.62 300 s-0.1TMC-100 C. 77.5
11.7 10.9 0.93 0.89
[0076] H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 selectivity decreased in 300s-0.1TMC-100C
compared to 300s-0.1TMC-60C, despite increased crosslinking. This
effect arose due to the high solubility of CO.sub.2, compared to
other gases, in amide linkages present in the highly crosslinked
membranes. This resulted in higher CO.sub.2 permeance despite an
expected decrease in diffusivity. Revisiting the chemical structure
of the polyamide formed using MPD and TMC, distinct fully and
partially crosslinked regions were formed, as depicted in FIG. 5.
Other studies have discussed the structure-function relationship of
MPD-TMC polymer using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy
(PALS) and measured a bimodal pore distribution, i.e. relatively
smaller ultramicropores in completely crosslinked regions and
larger micropores in partially crosslinked regions (termed network
and aggregate pores). The permeance data of the present disclosure
imply apparent ultramicropore and micropore sizes of around 3 .ANG.
and 3.5 .ANG. respectively.
[0077] The TFCs exhibit ridge-and-valley structure, FIG. 9.
300s-10TMC-60C showed a relatively smoother structure compared to
all other TFCs. This was due to the high TMC concentration used,
resulting in formation of a secondary polymer layer of
significantly decreased crosslinking on the rough surface. FIGS.
10a-10b depict coupling selectivity data for 300s-0.1TMC-60C and
poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) reveals almost identical gas
separation capabilities for both polymers. An estimate of
300s-0.1TMC-60C film thickness, assuming both polymers showed
similar permeability, was then be made as .apprxeq.6.5 nm.
Accounting for under-estimation of active surface area by a factor
of 1.5 (due to rough surface structure) implied an effective
membrane thickness of .apprxeq.10 nm shedding light on a much
debated topic of effective barrier layer separation in MPD-TMC
films.
[0078] Despite barrier polyamides showing moderate to high
selectivity for a number of gas separations, they exhibited
particularly low permeabilities and have subsequently been
overlooked for gas separation processes. Though, this disadvantage
can be overcome by fabricating ultra-thin films, as in the present
disclosure, allowing the exploitation of highly selective barrier
materials with industrially useable performance
characteristics.
[0079] One of the primary requirements for membranes in this
application was stability at high temperature and pressure: feed
temperature between 120-150.degree. C. and pressure above 150 psi.
300s-0.1TMC-60C and 300s-0.1TMC-100C showed excellent potential for
syngas separations at 22.degree. C. i.e. H.sub.2 permeance values
of .apprxeq.19 and 22 GPU with selectivity of 19 and 14 over
CO.sub.2. FIG. 8a shows how this performance varies with
temperature, using pure-gas H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 measurements for
300s-0.1TMC-100C films. Though 300s-0.1TMC-60C shows higher
selectivity at room temperature, it was hypothesized that
300s-0.1TMC-100C will show superior H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 separation
properties at higher temperatures due to higher crosslinking and
decreased role of CO.sub.2 sorption at elevated temperature.
Permeance, for both gases, showed excellent Arrhenius regression
with temperature, but H.sub.2 permeance increased much more than
CO.sub.2. This is, again, due to decreased sorption of CO.sub.2 at
higher temperatures. At 140.degree. C., H.sub.2 permeance increased
to 275.+-.4 GPU with H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 selectivity of 95.5.+-.5, the
highest reported pure-gas selectivity to date of any polymer
membrane.
[0080] Mixed-gas separation was conducted to verify performance in
industrial systems. FIG. 8b shows pure- and mixed-gas data for
300s-0.1TMC-100C compared to conventional membranes on the Robeson
plot. Average stabilized H.sub.2 permeate concentration of 98% was
achieved, translating to a separation factor of 50.+-.4 with
hydrogen permeance of 377.+-.17 GPU. Compared to pure-gas
high-temperature results, mixed-gas hydrogen permeance was 37%
higher and CO.sub.2 permeance was 200% higher, resulting in a
selectivity decrease of 48%. Competitive sorption of CO.sub.2
swelled the polymer matrix, resulting in elevated permeance for
both gases. The permeance of the slower penetrant experienced a
larger increase, so selectivity decreased. It should be noted that
mixed-gas separation performance was under-estimated in this study,
due to high stage cut in the test cell. Even without accounting for
this experimental shortcoming, 300s-0.1TMC-100C showed unparalleled
performance for H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 separation and was well above
state-of-the-art polymers noted in literature and industry.
[0081] Mixed-gas separation was performed at a cross-flow rate of
approximately 1000 ml/min due to equipment and safety
considerations which translates approximately to about a 7%
stage-cut. A high stage-cut can result in miscalculation of driving
force for each component for a multi-component system. In this
case, driving force for each component was normalized using the
log-mean of molar flow rate in the feed and permeate. Furthermore,
a low cross-flow rate can result in increased surface concentration
for the slower penetrant, concentration polarization, resulting in
under-estimation of separation capabilities. Poor mixing in
permeation cells can further add to this effect. The experiment
should be run at a cross-flow rate of approximately 7000 ml/min and
FIG. 11 shows a summarized effect of this phenomenon in this
case.
[0082] In sum, the growing need for cleaner energy is dramatically
increasing interest in the membrane market. Highly crosslinked,
ultra-selective, defect-free MPD-TMC membranes were successfully
fabricated showing tremendous potential for H.sub.2/CO.sub.2
separation in syngas applications as well as a number of other
challenging gas separations. These membranes exhibit unprecedented
H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 selectivity, surpassing all other reported
polymers and lying well above the 2008 Robeson upper bound.
[0083] Coupled with excellent H.sub.2/CH.sub.4 separation
properties, given the targets specified by the USDOE, the membranes
are excellent candidates for hydrogen purification from syngas.
Fortuitously, these ultra-high-performance membranes can be created
by making only small changes to existing commercial membrane lines.
Therefore their fabrication cost should be similar to standard RO
membranes--only 1-2 $/ft.sup.2. Varying fabrication parameters can
fine-tune permselectivity to meet the needs of specific processes.
A few simple modifications to a time-tested commercial membrane
fabrication process can produce membranes that meet a key
industrial need.
[0084] These membranes also demonstrated remarkable separation
performance for O.sub.2/N.sub.2, CO.sub.2/CH.sub.4, H.sub.2/N.sub.2
and CO.sub.2/N.sub.2 separations. With rapidly developing economic
and environmental pressures to increase efficiency for separation
processes, such highly-selective, low-cost commercial barrier
materials fabricated as ultra-thin films show potential for a
paradigm shift to streamline industrial use of membranes for a
large number of gas separation applications.
[0085] Other embodiments of the present disclosure are possible.
Although the description above contains much specificity, these
should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure,
but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently
preferred embodiments of this disclosure. It is also contemplated
that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific
features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall
within the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that
various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be
combined with or substituted for one another in order to form
various embodiments. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at
least some of the present disclosure should not be limited by the
particular disclosed embodiments described above.
[0086] Thus the scope of this disclosure should be determined by
the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Therefore, it will
be appreciated that the scope of the present disclosure fully
encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those
skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present disclosure is
accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended
claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not
intended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so stated,
but rather "one or more." All structural, chemical, and functional
equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred
embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are
expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be
encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary
for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to
be solved by the present disclosure, for it to be encompassed by
the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method
step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the
public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step
is explicitly recited in the claims.
[0087] The foregoing description of various preferred embodiments
of the disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration
and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit
the disclosure to the precise embodiments, and obviously many
modifications and variations are possible in light of the above
teaching. The example embodiments, as described above, were chosen
and described in order to best explain the principles of the
disclosure and its practical application to thereby enable others
skilled in the art to best utilize the disclosure in various
embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the
particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the
disclosure be defined by the claims appended hereto
[0088] Various examples have been described. These and other
examples are within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *