Comparative Study of Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity-Derivative Polymers in Pervaporation and Water Vapor Permeance Applications

Abstract

This study assesses the gas and water vapor permeance of PIM-derivative thin-film composite (TFC) membranes using pervaporation and “pressure increase” methods, and provides a comparative view of “time lag” measurements of thick films obtained from our previous work. In this study, TFC membranes were prepared using PIM-1 and homopolymers that were modified with different side groups to explore their effects on gas and water vapor transport. Rigid and bulky aliphatic groups were used to increase the polymer’s free volume and were evaluated for their impact on both gas and water transport. Aromatic side groups were specifically employed to assess water affinity. The permeance of CO2, H2, CH4 and water vapor through these membranes was analyzed using the ‘pressure increase’ method to determine the modifications’ influence on transport efficiency and interaction with water molecules. Over a 20 h period, the aging and the permeance of the TFC membranes were analyzed using this method. In parallel, pervaporation experiments were conducted on samples taken independently from the same membrane roll to assess water flux, with particular attention paid to the liquid form on the feed side. The significantly higher water vapor transport rates observed in pervaporation experiments compared to those using the “pressure increase” method underline the efficiency of pervaporation. This efficiency suggests that membranes designed for pervaporation can serve as effective alternatives to conventional porous membranes used in distillation applications. Additionally, incorporating “time lag” results from a pioneering study into the comparison revealed that the trends observed in “time lag” and pervaporation results exhibited similar trends, whereas “pressure increase” data showed a different development. This discrepancy is attributed to the state of the polymer, which varies significantly depending on the operating conditions.