(SGER) Small Grant for Exploratory Research on Mixed Matrix Reactively Intercalated Composite Membranes

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Abstract Proposal No: 9706621 Proposal Type: SGER Principal Investigator: William J. Koros Affiliation: University of Texas at Austin This grant is awarded through the Separations and Purification Program sub-element of the Interfacial, Transport and Separations Program of the Chemical and Transport Systems Division. The principal investigator is Dr. William Koros of the University of Texas at Austin. The objective of the proposal is to develop composite membranes containing a molecular sieving material ( zeolites) embedded in polymeric media. While zeolites have the shape and size selectivity potential to separate gases, they are inorganic materials and hard to fabricate into flexible membranes. Incorporating them into polymeric materials allows fabrication of various membrane configurations including the hollow-fiber configuration the PI proposes to use. However, a new problem comes in, as defects and voids between the zeolite crystallites and the polymer matrix lead to species bypass of the selective medium. The PI proposes to repair these membranes by caulking these voids by carrying out a post membrane fabrication treatment, where a monomer is allowed to diffuse into the voids and then a polymer is generated to seal the voids. It is hypothesized that once these voids are caulked, the only route for gas transport is through the zeolite channels, thereby imposing the required selectivity. The project entails high risk, but the potential benefits are tremendous. Composite membranes containing zeolites have tremendous potential in gas separations. There is a need for flexible zeolite based membranes. The PI's work on incorporating zeolites in polymer matrices and modifying the membrane so that transport occurs only in the zeolite micropores is interesting both from a scientific and an industrial perspective. The question of membrane optimization through post-treatment is an important one.