Polyimide-Silica Hybrid Membranes for Gas Separation Applications

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This proposal describes research into the synthesis and characterization of hybrid inorganic-organic membranes (polyimide-silica materials) for use in chemical separations. The area of hybrid materials has begun to attract the attention of the research community in recent years, because it promises to bring the best characteristics of each precursor material to the hybrid compound. Inorganic materials have the ability to show high selectivities, are resistant to corrosive environments, but difficult to process into versatile mechanical structures. Polymeric membranes do not show the same degree of selectivity as inorganic compounds, and are often thermally labile, but easier to process into convenient forms like hollow fibers-using injection moulding technology. The key identified in this hybrid approach is to develop synthesis techniques that allow both the organic and inorganic precursor materials to form covalent crosslinkages that will lead to stability of the resultant membranes.