Pebax® 2533/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite Membranes for Carbon Capture

Abstract

In this work, the behavior of new GO-based mixed matrix membranes was tested in view of their use as CO2-selective membrane in post combustion carbon capture applications. In particular, the new materials were obtained by mixing of Pebax® 2533 copolymer with different types of graphene oxide (GO). Pebax® 2533 has indeed lower selectivity, but higher permeability than Pebax® 1657, which is more commonly used for membranes, and it could therefore benefit from the addition of GO, which is endowed with very high selectivity of CO2 with respect to nitrogen. The mixed matrix membranes were obtained by adding different amounts of GO, from 0.02 to 1% by weight, to the commercial block copolymers. Porous graphene oxide (PGO) and GO functionalized with polyetheramine (PEAGO) were also considered in composites produced with similar procedure, with a loading of 0.02%wt. The obtained films were then characterized by using SEM, DSC, XPS analysis and permeability experiments. In particular, permeation tests with pure CO2 and N2 at 35°C and 1 bar of upstream pressure were conducted for the different materials to evaluate their separation performance. It has been discovered that adding these GO-based nanofillers to Pebax® 2533 matrix does not improve the ideal selectivity of the material, but it allows to increase CO2 permeability when a low filler content, not higher than 0.02 wt%, is considered. Among the different types of GO, then, porous GO seems the most promising as it shows CO2 permeability in the order of 400 barrer (with an increase of about 10% with respect to the unloaded block copolymer), obtained without reducing the CO2/N2 selectivity of the materials, which remained in the order of 25.

CO2/N2 Gas Separation Using Pebax/ZIF-7—PSf Composite Membranes

“…The degree of crystallization was calculated to be approximately 19 with pure Pebax-2533 and 8 with ZIF-7 50 wt%, which decreased with the ZIF-7 content: Using the DSC results of the Pebax-2533/ZIF-7 membrane, we identified the changes in the melting point and degree of crystallization (Tables 2 and 3). Pure Pebax-2533 is a copolymer of PTMO and PA-12, whose melting points were found to be approximately 288 K and 407 K, respectively; similar values were identified by Z. Dai et al [47] and R. Casadei et al [48]. With ZIF-7 mixed into Pebax-2533, the melting point identified at the PTMO peak increased to approximately 294 K up to ZIF-7 35 wt% and decreased sharply at 50 wt%.…”

Integration of Stable Ionic Liquid-Based Nanofluids into Polymer Membranes. Part II: Gas Separation Properties toward Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases

“…Accordingly, the separation performance follows the order 20FIL-80Pebax (SF 1.86bar = 5.4; SF 4.3bar = 4.0) > 0.2xGnP-20IoNF-80Pebax (SF 1.86bar = 4.8; SF 4.3bar = 3.6) > 2xGnP-20IoNF-80Pebax (SF 1.86bar = 4.6; SF 4.3bar = 3.2) > 4xGnP-20IoNF-80Pebax (SF 1.86bar = 4.5; SF 4.3bar = 3.1). This loss of selectivity, added to the increase in permeability, occurs in MMMs in which the agglomeration of the inorganic fillers causes the formation of interfacial defects in the form of nonselective voids that lead to lower separation factors [63,64]. Secondly, when the amount of IoNF increases in the membranes to 40 wt%, the separation factor does not present significant modifications in the whole range of xGnP compositions studied.…”

“…= 3.1). This loss of selectivity, added to the increase in permeability, occurs in MMMs in which the agglomeration of the inorganic fillers causes the formation of interfacial defects in the form of nonselective voids that lead to lower separation factors [63,64]. Secondly, when the amount of IoNF increases in the membranes to 40 wt%, the separation factor Two trends are observed in relation to the effect of xGnP concentration within the MMMs.…”

Thermoplastic Polyamide Elastomers: Synthesis, Structures/Properties, and Applications

“…As a new and important member of the TPEs family, TPAEs have attracted ever‐growing interest because of their substantial application potentials in diverse areas such as films/gas‐separation membranes, permanent antistatic agents, and industrial products even novel electron devices. [ 21–24 ]…”