Gas transport properties of polyaniline membranes

The transport properties of He, H₂, CO₂, O₂, N₂, and CH₄ gases in solvent cast, HCl doped, and undoped polyaniline (PANi) membranes were determined. Measurements were carried out at 40 psi pressure from 19°C to 60°C. An excellent correlation was found between the diffusion coefficients and the molecular diameters of gases. The solubility coefficients of gases were found to correlate with their boiling points or critical temperatures. The sepa-ration factors for CO₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄ are dominated by the high solubility of CO₂. These correlations enable us to predict the permeability, diffusion, and solubility coefficients of other gases. After the doping-undoping process, the fluxes of gases with kinetic diameters smaller than 3.5 Å increased but those of larger gases decreased. This results in a higher separation factor for a gas pair involving a small gas molecule and a larger one. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of gas diffusion and solubility in rubbery amorphous hydrocarbon polymers

Diffusion coefficients D of H₂, He, O₂, N₂, and CO₂ in different rubbery amorphous polymeric matrices were estimated by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations at 298 K using the Einstein relationship, and compared with the relevant experimental values, where available. The simulated diffusion coefficients D of all the gases in all polymers considered almost regularly decreased with increasing molecular gas volumes and increasing polymer glass transition temperature. Further, solubility coefficients and heats of solution were obtained for all gases from Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations, which were also used to calculate sorption isotherms. In general, there is a good agreement between experimental and simulated values of diffusion and solubility coefficients for all gases considered.     

Molecular simulations of small gas diffusion and solubility in copolymers of styrene

The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between gas permeability and the chemical structure and conformational properties for copolymers of styrene and its homopolymer. The diffusion and the solubility coefficients of small gas molecules (He, H₂, Ne, O₂, N₂, CH₄, Ar, CO₂) in amorphous structures of poly (styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) copolymer (SMA), poly (styrene-stat-butadiene) rubber (SBR), and atactic polystyrene (PS) are investigated by the transition state approach. Simulation results are found to be in good agreement with the experimentally measured values. The transport behavior of H₂O molecules is also studied in the same bulk structures by fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. In general, the diffusion coefficients of the gases in these matrices decrease in the following order: SBR>PS>SMA, whereas the solubility coefficients follow the reverse order. The differences in the mobility of the matrices seem to be the dominant determining factor for diffusion. And the solubility coefficients depend on the free volume distribution of the matrices.     

Study of transport of pure and mixed CO2/N2 gases through polymeric membranes

The permeations of pure CO₂ and N₂ gases and a binary gas mixture of CO₂/N₂ (20/80) through poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) membrane were carried out by the new permeation apparatus. The permeation and separation behaviors were characterized in terms of transport parameters, namely, permeability, diffusion, and solubility coefficients which were precisely determined by the continuous‐flow technique. In the permeation of the pure gases, feed pressure and temperature affected the solubility coefficients of CO₂ and N₂ in opposite ways, respectively; increasing feed pressure positively affects CO₂ solubility coefficient and negatively affects N₂ solubility coefficient, whereas increasing temperature favors only N₂ sorption. In the permeation of the mixed gas, mass transport was observed to be affected mainly by the coupling in sorption, and the coupling was analyzed by a newly defined parameter permeation ratio. The coupling effects have been investigated on the permeation and separation behaviors in the permeation of the mixed gas varying temperature and feed pressure. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 179–189, 2000     

Preparation and C3H8/Gas Separation Properties of a Synthesized Single Layer PDMS Membrane

In this paper, a new polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane was synthesized and its ability for separation of heavier gases from lighter ones was examined. Sorption, diffusion, and permeation of H₂, N₂, O₂, CH₄, CO_2, and C₃H₈ in the synthesized membrane were investigated as a function of pressure at 35°C. PDMS was confirmed to be more permeable to more condensable gases such as C₃H₈. This result was attributed to very high solubility of larger gas molecules in hydrocarbon?based PDMS in spite of their low diffusion coefficients relative to small molecules. The synthesized membrane showed much better gas permeation performance than others reported in the literature. Increasing upstream pressure increased solubility, permeability and diffusion coefficients of C₃H₈, while these values decreased slightly or stayed constant for other gases. Local effective diffusion coefficient of C₃H₈ and CO₂ increased with increasing penetrant concentration which indicated plasticization effect of these gases over the range of penetrant concentration studied. C₃H₈/gas solubility, diffusivity and overall selectivities also increased with increasing feed pressure. Ideal selectivity values of 4, 13, 18, 20, and 36 for C₃H₈ over CO₂, CH₄, H₂, O_2, and N₂, respectively, at upstream pressure of 7 atm, confirmed the outstanding separation performance of the synthesized mebrane.     

The atomistic simulation of the gas permeability of poly(organophosphazenes). Part 2. Poly[bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene]

Self-diffusion and sorption of seven gases (He, H₂, O₂, N₂, CH₄, CO₂, and Xe) in poly[bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene] (PTFEP) have been investigated by molecular dynamics and Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations of two amorphous cells and an α-orthorhombic crystalline supercell. In the case of MD simulation of diffusion coefficients, values obtained for both amorphous and crystalline PTFEP are similar and comparable to experimental values reported for semicrystalline samples. These results indicate that gas diffusion is unrestricted in the crystalline state of PTFEP as has been reported for poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (PMP) and, more recently, for a crystalline form of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS).In contrast to both PMP and sPS that have low-density crystalline forms, only He exhibits any solubility in the α-orthorhombic crystalline cells of PTFEP during simulation. In addition, values of the solubility coefficients obtained from simulation of the amorphous cells are three to five times larger than would be expected by extrapolating values reported for semicrystalline samples to 100% amorphous content. These results suggest that while the crystalline domains do not restrict gas diffusivity in PTFEP, they significantly reduce gas solubility in semicrystalline PTFEP through the reduction of amorphous content and through some additional effect of the crystallites on amorphous-phase solubility, possibly through chain immobilization of the amorphous phase. Similar solubility behavior has been suggested for polyethylene on the basis of recent simulation studies.As reported in a prior communication, the solubility of CO₂ in PTFEP is very high compared to other gases due to a weak quadrupole-dipole interaction between CO₂ and the trifluoroethoxy group of PTFEP. As a result, the solubility coefficients of CO₂ obtained from GCMC simulation of the amorphous cells and from permeability measurements of semicrystalline samples are both larger than predicted by a simple correlation of gas solubility coefficients with the Lennard-Jones potential well parameter, ε/k, of other gases as proposed by Teplyakov and others. A modified form of this correlation that includes a Flory interaction term is shown to fit all gas solubility data for this polymer including that of CO₂.     

Sorption and transport of gases in miscible poly(methyl acrylate)/poly(epichlorohydrin) blends

The sorption and the transport of He, Ar, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ in miscible poly(methyl acrylate)(PMA)/poly(epichlorohydrin)(PECH) blends from 1 to 20 atm at 35°C are reported. For He, Ar, N₂, and CH₄, the permeabilities and the diffusion time lags are independent of the upstream pressure, if the compaction effect resulting from compression of the polymer membrane onto the supporting medium is eliminated. The permeability of CO₂ increases with upstream pressure but solubility follows a simple Henry's law behavior. For all five gases, the dependence of solubility, diffusion coefficient, and permeability on blend composition are compared with theoretical mixing rules with the conclusion that both the interaction energy density and the excess activation energy for gas diffusion in the blends are near zero. The fact that the specific volumes of the blends exactly follow linear additivity also confirms that only very weak interactions exist between PMA and PECH.     

Measurement and prediction of diffusion coefficients of supercritical CO2 in molten polymers

The solubility and diffusivity of supercritical carbon dioxide (sc‐CO₂) in low‐density polyethylene (LDPE), high‐density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), ethylene‐ethylacrylate copolymer (EEA) and polystyrene (PS) were measured at temperatures from 150°C to 200°C and pressures up to 12 MPa by using the Magnetic Suspension Balance (MSB), a gravimetric technique for gas sorption measurements. The solubility of CO₂ in each polymer was expressed by Henry's constant. The interaction parameter between CO₂ and polymer could be obtained from the solubility data, and it was used to estimate the Pressure‐Volume‐Temperature relationship and the specific free volume of polymer/CO₂ mixtures. The diffusion coefficients were also measured by the MSB for each polymer. The resulting diffusion coefficients were correlated with the estimated free volume of polymer/CO₂ mixture. Combining Fujita's and Maeda and Paul's diffusion models, a model was newly developed in order to predict diffusion coefficients for the polymers studied. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:1915–1924, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

The solubilities of seven gases in olive oil with references to theories of transport through the cell membrane

The solubilities of He, Ne, Ar, N₂, O₂, CO and CO₂ in olive oil have been determined in the temperature range 24–56 C. The gas solubility apparatus was a considerably improved version of the one reported by Morrison and Billett and gave a precision, depending on the gas solvent system of ±0.2% to ±1.0%. Plots of log L, the Ostwald coefficient, and log α, the Bunsen coefficient, against 1/TK were linear and showed a small temperature dependence for CO₂. The enthalpy and entropy changes corresponding to the solution process were calculated. The partition coefficients of the gases between olive oil and water were calculated using reported values for the solubility of the gases in water. These results have been used to test and extend the Meyer-Overton theory of transport through the cell membrane. Presented in part at the American Chemical Society Meeting, Miami Beach, April, 1967.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of diffusion of gases in pure and silica-filled poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) [PTMSP]

Nanocomposites have been extensively applied, and molecular dynamics simulation techniques have been applied to study the diffusion of gases (H₂, O₂, N₂, CO₂, CH₄, n-C₄H₁₀) through pure and filled with silica particle poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) [PTMSP]. The aim for this research is to explore and investigate the effect of silica particle on the diffusion of gases in polymer. The diffusion coefficients of gases were determined via NVT molecular dynamics simulation using the COMPASS force field up to 500 or 1000 ps simulation time. We have focused on the effect of the concentration and the size of the silica particles on diffusion coefficients of gases and the changes of free volume and translational dynamics and intermolecular energies. It has been found that the addition of silica particle to PTMSP increased the diffusion coefficients of gases by enhancing the free volume of polymer.     

Solubility and diffusivity of CO2 in carboxylated polyesters

The solubility of CO₂ in saturated polyester resins at different temperatures (306 and 343 K) and pressures (0.1-30 MPa) has been measured using a magnetic suspension balance. The solubility data were used for estimating the binary diffusion coefficients. The results show a good solubility of CO₂ in polymers, up to 0.64 g CO₂/g polymer. The diffusion coefficients of supercritical CO₂ in polymers have generally high values and are in the range from 0.156 × 10⁻⁸ to 10.38 × 10⁻⁸ cm²/s. DSC and XRD analyses of the semi-crystalline polymer samples indicate that amorphous degree of polymers after exposure to CO₂ is increased. The observed structural effects are dependent on pressure, temperature and time of exposure to CO₂.     

Phase equlibiria and diffusivity of dense gases in various polyethylenes

The aim of this work was to investigate the properties of polyethylenes (PE) of various densities (low-density and high-density) under pressure of CO₂ and propane. The phase equilibria of PE of different density in presence of CO₂ and in presence of propane in dependence of pressure and temperature were investigated. The phase transitions of PE at atmospheric pressure were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Furthermore, phase transitions of polymers under pressure of gases were measured by using an optical high pressure cell. Measurements of phase transition were performed in range of pressure of 1–90 MPa. The results show that melting points of LDPE decreased in presence of CO₂ and in presence of propane. For high-density polyethylene (HDPE) the melting point decrease was observed only in presence of propane, while in presence of CO₂ melting point increases with increasing pressure. The melting points of LDPE and HDPE decrease in average for 10–20 K in presence of propane, while in presence of CO₂ the melting point decrease for both LDPE was lower (5–10 K). Solubility and diffusivity of supercritical CO₂ in two low-density polyethylenes (LDPE) and in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were measured at temperature 373 K and pressures up to 30 MPa using a magnetic suspension balance (MSB). The solubility data were used for estimating the binary diffusion coefficients. The solubilities increased with increasing density. The diffusion coefficient shows strong CO₂ density and CO₂ solubility dependence. Diffusion coefficient starts to decrease with increasing density and solubility of CO₂.     

Gas transport properties of polycarbonate–polyurethane membrance

Polyurethanes (PU) were prepared using polymeric diols, containing polar groups, as ? O? C(O)? O? (carbonate) groups, carbonate and ether (? O? ) groups, or carbonate and ester groups [? C(O)? O? ]. PUs were prepared by the prepolymer two-step technique using ethyl acetate (EA) as the solvent; the diol was reacted at about +80°C with TDI (ratio 1:2) to give the prepolymer terminated with NCO, which was then cross-linked with triisopropanolamine (TIPA). The membranes were prepared using a Gardner knife and were characterized by differential thermal analysis (DSC). Most of the polymers prepared from low and medium molecular weight diols were amorphous and elastomeric at the temperature of gas transport measurement (35°C). The permeabilities (P) and the diffusion coefficients (D) of different gases (O₂, N₂, CO₂, CH₄, CO) were measured by a modified Lyssy apparatus, the solubility coefficient (S) was also calculated. The water-vapor transport properties D and S were measured according to ASTM. Diffusivity data follow the Fujita model and the solubility coefficients the regular solution theory, as developed by Prausnitz and Shair. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Solubility and diffusivity of CO2 in polypropylene/micro-calcium carbonate composites

This work is aimed at studying the effects of the fillers and interface bonding condition between the fillers and polymer matrix on the solubility and diffusivity of CO₂ in polypropylene (PP)/Micro-calcium carbonate (MicroCaCO₃) composites. The solubility of CO₂ in PP and its composites containing 5% and 10% MicroCaCO₃ was determined precisely by using magnetic suspension balance (MSB) combined with experimental swelling correction at 200 and 220 °C and CO₂ pressures up to 22 MPa. It was found that the solubility of CO₂ in the PP/MicroCaCO₃ composites without the interface compatibilizer increased with increasing the filler content, while the CO₂ solubility remained almost unchanged in PP composites with compatibilizer. The Henry's law and a modified Henry's law were used to well correlate the solubility of CO₂ in the PP composites with and without the interface compatibilizer, respectively. The diffusion coefficient of CO₂ in the PP composites was found to decrease with increasing the filler content. The mutual diffusion coefficients of CO₂ in the PP composites can be correlated within an average relative deviation of 10% by the free volume model proposed by Kulkarni and Stern with a parameter accounting for the barrier effect of the filler.     

Effect of pressure on CO2 transport in poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The CO₂ solubility, permeability, and diffusion time lag in poly(ethylene terephthalate) are reported at 35° and 65°C for CO₂ pressures ranging from 0.07 to 20 atm. The subatmospheric time lag and permeability measurements were made with a glass system at North Carolina State University, while the measurements between 1 and 20 atmospheres, using an identical polymer sample, were made at The University of Texas with a metal system capable of tolerating gauge pressures up to 30 atm. The measured solubility, permeability, and time lag all show strong deviations from the well-known simple expressions for gases in rubbery polymers. The solubility isotherm is non-linear in pressure, and both θ and P are quite pressure dependent, with each showing tendencies to approach low and high pressure asymptotic limits. These effects decrease as temperature increases and would be expected to disappear at or near the glass transition where the amorphous regions become rubbery. The importance of reporting the pressure levels used in transport measurements is emphasized for gas/glassy polymer systems where transport process do not follow linear laws.     

Synthesis and gas permeability of new polynorbornene dicarboximide with fluorine pendant groups

The new exo-N-3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl-7-oxanorbornene-5,6-dicarboximide (TFmPhONDI, 2), was synthesized and polymerized via ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using tricyclohexylphosphine [1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazolilydene][benzylidene] ruthenium dichloride (I) to produce the corresponding PTFmPhONDI (3). Gas permeability, diffusion and solubility coefficients of PTFmPhONDI (3) were determined by transient permeation for five gases He, CO₂, O₂, N₂ and CH₄. The larger gas permeability and diffusion coefficients of 3 compared to polynorbornene dicarboximides without fluorine pendant groups were attributed to a lower polymer chain packing due to the effect of the CF₃ groups in the lateral phenyl moiety pending at positions 3 and 5.     

Effect of dissolved gases on subcooled flow boiling heat transfer

The influence of various dissolved gases (He, N₂, Ar, CO₂, C₃H₈) on subcooled boiling heat transfer was investigated for flow of water and of heptane in an annulus with a heated core. Flow velocity, liquid bulk temperature, system pressure, gas partial pressure and heat flux were all varied over a wide range.In comparing the measured heat transfer coefficients with those for subcooled boiling of the corresponding degassed liquids, it was found that the coefficients were always increased owing to the desorption of the dissolved gases. The extent of the increase depended on the solubility of the given gas in the given liquid and could be as much as several hundred per cent. In addition, the solid surface temperature required for the inception of bubble formation was reduced considerably, in some cases far below the saturation temperature of the pure liquid.Attempts were made to extend the prediction of incipient boiling temperatures to cases where gases are dissolved in the liquid.     

Solubility and diffusion behavior of compressed CO2 in polyurethane oligomer

In CO₂-assisted polyurethane (PU) foaming, the solubility and diffusion coefficient of CO₂ is vitally important to the cell nucleation and growth. This work is aimed at the effect of molecular weights (M _n) and crosslinking densities (V _e) on the solubility and diffusion coefficient of CO₂ in PU oligomers. A series of PU oligomers with different M _n and V _e were synthesized. The solubility and diffusivity of CO₂ in PU oligomers were measured experimentally in the temperature from 80 to 140 °C and with pressures up to 15 MPa. It was shown that the solubility and diffusion coefficients of CO₂ was decreased 20.5 and 21.0%, respectively, with the M _n increasing from 5864 to 153,754 g mol⁻¹ at 80 °C, 15 MPa. The solubility and the diffusion coefficient also decreased 11.1 and 38.0% as the V _e was increased from 64 to 1493 mol m⁻³. Furthermore, the diffusion mechanism of CO₂ in PU oligomers was explored via molecular dynamics simulations. The results indicated that the calculated diffusivity of CO₂ showed the same changing trend as the experimental values, and the smaller M _n or crosslinking degree contributed to an increase in fractional free volume and stronger polymer–CO₂ interactions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47100.     

Modeling infinite dilution and Fickian diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide in water

We propose a new model for calculating infinite dilution diffusion coefficients for carbon dioxide and water mixtures. The model takes into account temperature dependence of the dipole moment of water and polarizability of CO₂, and fits experimental CO₂? H₂O data at low and high pressures with an accuracy of 4.9%. Remarkably, the proposed model also accurately predicts infinite dilution diffusion coefficients for other binary water mixtures where solute polarizability is close to that of CO₂, such as CH₄, C₂H₆, C₃H₈, and H₂S. Moreover, we present—to the best of our knowledge—the first predictions of composition‐based Fickian diffusion coefficients for CO₂? H₂O mixtures over the temperature range 298.15–413.15 K, and pressures up to 50 MPa. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011     

A fundamental study on the removal of air pollutants (sulfur dioxide,nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide) by adsorption on activated carbon

Gravimetrically measured adsorption and desorption dynamics of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide on a commercial activated carbon are interpreted by a single-particle model based on three transport processes: macropore, micropore and sorbed-phase diffusion. Additional phenomena, concentration-dependent sorbed-phase diffusivity and sorbent non-isothermality, are incorporated to expand the applicability of the model. The dynamic sorption behaviour of all three gases is adequately described, without resorting to a different particle tortuosity factor for each sorbate. The value of the tortuosity factor (8) and the extracted diffusion coefficients are consistent with literature values. The affinity of the activated carbon for the adsorbates is, in increasing order, CO₂ < SO₂ < NO₂, while the extracted diffusion coefficients show the reverse trend, NO₂ < SO₂ < CO₂.