Novel Polymer Compositions for High-Temperature Membrane Applications

聚合物膜目前在世界范围内用于高效、低成本的液体和气体工艺流分离。设计工程师通常认为基于膜的单元操作是传统分离技术的可行替代方案。然而，聚合物膜无法承受高温或化学恶劣环境，使许多行业失去了膜技术的关键优势。目前可用的聚合物膜用于这些苛刻的环境中，但由于需要昂贵的化学破坏性工艺流预处理或需要大幅冷却热料流，其成本和能源效率被抵消了。对于大多数工艺，这样的预处理是不切实际的或完全不可能的。此外，目前可用的非聚合物膜（例如陶瓷）过于昂贵，难以模块化，并且/或容易发生不可逆的污染。该项目将研究使用一组坚固的聚合物来制备能够在具有化学挑战性的操作中承受高达300摄氏度的膜的可行性。在项目的第一阶段，将评估和筛选合适的聚合物对各种气体和液体的扩散特性。第二阶段将选择一种或多种聚合物进行进一步研究，届时将开发和优化基于这些聚合物的膜。聚合物膜目前在世界范围内用于高效、低成本的液体和气体工艺流分离。设计工程师通常认为基于膜的单元操作是传统分离技术的可行替代方案。然而，聚合物膜无法承受高温或化学恶劣环境，使许多行业失去了膜技术的关键优势。目前可用的聚合物膜用于这些苛刻的环境中，但由于需要昂贵的化学破坏性工艺流预处理或需要大幅冷却热料流，其成本和能源效率被抵消了。该项目将研究使用一组坚固的聚合物来制备能够在具有化学挑战性的操作中承受高达300摄氏度的膜的可行性。在项目的第一阶段，如果要开发基于聚合物的膜，将对适当的聚合物进行评估和筛选，以确定其分离气体或液体分子的潜力。第二阶段将选择一种或多种材料进行进一步研究，届时将开发和优化基于这些聚合物的实际膜。

Polymeric membranes are now used worldwide to perform energy-efficient, low-cost separation of liquid and gas process streams. Design engineers routinely conside membrane-based unit operations as viable alternatives to conventional separation technologies. However, the inability of polymeric membranes to withstand high-temperatures or chemically harsh environments deprives many industries of the key advantages of membrane technology. Currently available polymeric membranes are now used in some of these harsh settings, but their characteristic cost- and energy-efficiencies are offset by the need for expensive pretreatment of chemically destructive process streams or by the need to drastically cool hot feed streams. For most processes, such pretreatment is impractical or altogether impossible. Moreover, non-polymeric membranes (e.g. ceramic) currently available are too expensive, difficult to modularize, and/or prone to irreversible fouling. This project will investigate the feasibility of using a group of robust polymers to prepare membranes capable of withstanding up to 300 degrees centigrade in chemically challenging operations. In Phase I of the project, appropriate polymers will be evaluated and screened for diffusion properties to various gases and liquids. One or more will be selected for further study in Phase II, where membranes based on these polymers will be developed and optimized. Polymeric membranes are now used worldwide to perform energy-efficient, low-cost separation of liquid and gas process streams. Design engineers routinely conside membrane-based unit operations as viable alternatives to conventional separation technologies. However, the inability of polymeric membranes to withstand high-temperatures or chemically harsh environments deprives many industries of the key advantages of membrane technology. Currently available polymeric membranes are now used in some of these harsh settings, but their characteristic cost- and energy-efficiencies are offset by the need for expensive pretreatment of chemically destructive process streams or by the need to drastically cool hot feed streams. This project will investigate the feasibility of using a group of robust polymers to prepare membranes capable of withstanding up to 300 degrees centigrade in chemically challenging operations. In Phase I of the project, appropriate polymers will be evaluated and screened for their potential to separate gas or liquid molecules from one another if a membrane based on the polymer were to be developed. One or more will be selected for further study in Phase II, where the actual membranes based on these polymers will be developed and optimized.