Separation of Trimethyl Borate from a Liquid Mixture by Pervaporation

Abstract

Four commercial polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes were applied to the pervaporation of an azeotropic mixture containing trimethyl borate, a precursor to boronic acids used in Suzuki couplings and a gaseous anti‐oxidant in solder flux or brazing. The degree of cross‐linking of the chains in the active layer played a crucial role in the membrane process using the membranes PERVAP 4155‐80, PERVAP 4155‐40 and PERVAP 4155‐30. PERVAP 4155‐30 reached the best results from all tested membranes; an impressive selectivity with fast permeation was also achieved with the PERVAP 4060 membrane. Methanol preferentially passed through PERVAP 4155‐30, but trimethyl borate was favorably pervaporated from the mixture by PERVAP 6040, due to the diverse affinities of the membranes.

Application of Polymer Membranes for a Purification of Fuel Oxygenated Additive. Methanol/Methyl Tert-butyl Ether (MTBE) Separation via Pervaporation: A Comprehensive Review

“…As far as it is known there is a commercial membrane designed for pervaporation removal of methanol from volatile organic mixtures, namely, PERVAP™ 4155 (formerly PERVAP TM 2255) composed of a PVA-selective layer supported by a polyacryl nitrile (PAN) layer and a nonwoven material. Such membranes with different cross-linking degrees of PVA chains were successfully studied for methanol/methyl acetate [26], methanol/trimethyl borate [27], the transesterification reaction between methyl acetate and butanol to produce methanol and butyl acetate [28]. Scientific and technological tasks of pervaporation separation of organic mixtures are primarily focused on the development of effective organoselective membranes for removing methanol from its mixture with MTBE [13].…”