SBIR Phase II: Novel Nanostructured Polymers for Membrane Separations

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的重点是开发新型纳米结构聚合物/无机杂化膜，具有显着改善的渗透性和有机蒸汽/永久气体选择性。 从永久性气体（氢气、氮气和甲烷）中分离烃蒸气是膜气体分离工艺在整个美国的日益增长的应用。在过去几年中已经安装了大约50个装置。 目前的系统使用硅橡胶复合膜，但具有更高选择性的膜将显著提高该过程的竞争力。 本研究的目的是开发填充聚乙炔基膜。 第一阶段项目表明，这些膜的选择性明显高于硅橡胶，并证实了更高的渗透性。 这些膜通过与硅橡胶完全不同的机制进行分离，并且可以改变蒸汽/气体分离膜的竞争力。 第二阶段项目将集中在（1）膜优化和放大，（2）阐明纳米结构膜的独特气体传输特性，以及（3）实验室规模的实验，以证明使用这些膜分离工业重要气体混合物的实用性。 该项目中开发的膜的应用包括从氮气吹扫流中回收丙烯、乙烯、氯乙烯和其他单体;在炼油厂中从氢气中分离轻质烃;以及在天然气加工过程中从甲烷中分离C+3烃。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the development of novel nanostructured polymer/inorganic hybrid membranes with significantly improved permeability and organic vapor/permanent gas selectivity. Separation of hydrocarbon vapors from the permanent gases, hydrogen, nitrogen and methane, are growing applications of membrane gas separation processes throughout the U.S. Approximately 50 units have been installed in the last few years. Current systems use silicone rubber composite membranes, but membranes with higher selectivities would significantly improve the competitiveness of the process. The objective of this research will be to develop filled polyacetylene-based membranes. The Phase I project demonstrated that these membranes are significantly more selective than silicone rubber as well as confirming higher permeabilities. These membranes separate by a completely different mechanism than silicone rubber and could transform the competitiveness of vapor/gas separating membranes. The Phase II project will focus on (1) membrane optimization and scale-up, (2) elucidation of the unique gas transport properties of the nanostructured membranes, and (3) bench-scale experiments to demonstrate the practicality of using these membranes to separate industrially important gas mixtures. Applications of the membranes to be developed in this project include recovery of propylene, ethylene, vinyl chloride, and other monomers from nitrogen purge streams; separation of light hydrocarbons from hydrogen in refineries; and separation of C+3 hydrocarbons from methane during natural gas processing.