Increasing the performance of asymmetric pervaporation membranes for the separation of methanol/methyl-tert-butyl ether mixtures by the introduction of sulfonated polyimide into the poly(amide-imide) matrix |
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Authors: | Denis Andzheevich Sapegin Galina Nikolaevna Gubanova Elena Nikolaevna Popova Svetlana Viktorovna Kononova |
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Affiliation: | 1. R&D department, S&R Systems LLC, Saint-Petersburg, Russia;2. Institute of Macromolecular Compounds Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, Russia |
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Abstract: | A series of novel asymmetric membranes from polymer composites of poly(amide-imide) with various content of sulfonated polyimide (1–6 wt%) was obtained through the nonsolvent-induced phase separation process. Selective transport properties of the obtained materials were investigated in terms of pervaporation separation of methanol/methyl-tert-butyl ether mixtures at different temperatures. The introduction of the sulfonated polyimide to the poly(amide-imide) matrix leads to a significant increase in membrane flux and an overall decrease in the process selectivity. Composite membranes having 1 wt% sulfonated polyimide in the matrix showed increased values of membrane flux (0.960 kg m−2 h−1 in comparison with 0.682 kg m−2 h−1 for unmodified membranes at 40°C, 10 wt% methanol), while having similar selectivity values (79.2 wt% methanol in permeate in comparison with 82 wt% for unmodified membranes at 40°C, 10 wt% methanol). Modified membrane showed the highest separation factor of 147 while separating methanol from its 3 wt% mixture with methyl-tert butyl ether at 52°C with the overall flux of 1.01 kg m−2 h−1. A semiempirical mathematical model was developed and applied to test the efficiency of obtained membranes in the hybrid process of methanol/methyl-tert-butyl ether mixtures separation. |
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Keywords: | composites membranes polyimides separation techniques |
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