abstract
The use of ionic liquid [emim][Tf2N] as an additive in polyethersulphone (PES) and nano-sized silico-aluminophosphate-34 (SAPO-34) mixed matrix membrane was studied through the incorporation of different amounts of [emim][Tf2N] in the membrane composition, as presented in this work, varying from 10 to 40 wt%. Through gas permeation tests using CO2 and N-2, the membrane composition containing 20 wt% [emim][Tf2N] led to the highest increase in CO2 permeability and CO2/N-2 selectivity. The use of low concentrations of additive (10-20 wt%) promoted a state called antiplasticization; in this state, the permeability was even more regulated by the kinetic diameter of the species which, in this work, permitted achieving a higher CO2/N-2 selectivity while increasing the CO2 permeability until an optimal condition. [emim][Tf2N] also promoted a better dispersion of SAPO-34 particles and an increase in the flexibility of the polymeric matrix when compared to a film with the same composition without [emim][Tf2N]. Moreover, the characterizations corroborated that the inclusion of [emim][Tf2N] increased the zeolite dispersion and improved the polymer/zeolite compatibility and membrane flexibility, characterized by a decrease in glass transition temperature, which helped in the fabrication process while presenting a similar thermal resistance and hydrophilicity as neat PES membrane, without affecting the membrane structure, as indicated by FTIR and a contact angle analysis.
keywords
SAPO-34 MEMBRANES; CO2/CH4; CO2; PERFORMANCE; TRANSPORT; SOLVENTS; SILANE
subject category
Chemistry
authors
Cardoso, JS; Lin, Z; Brito, P; Gando-Ferreira, LM
our authors
Jonathan Simonace Cardoso
PhD Student
Zhi Lin
Principal Researcheracknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support from CIEPQPF, University of Coimbra, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, CIMO-Montain Research Centre, SusTEC-Associate Laboratory for Sustainability and Technology in Mountains Regions and FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia.