GOALI: Understanding Plasticization and Compaction Mechanisms in Perfluorocyclobutyl Polymer Thin Films and Membranes

这个为期3年的研究和教育项目需要克莱姆森大学的斯科特·胡森教授和彭德尔顿的Tetramer Technologies， L.L.C. （Tetramer）的厄尔·瓦格纳博士的合作。我们的总体目标是开发全氟环丁基（PFCB）聚合物薄膜的基本结构-性能关系，并将这些关系作为改进全氟环丁基膜的分子结构设计和生产实践的基础，增强其对二氧化碳和碳氢化合物压实和塑化的抵抗力。四聚体的PFCB聚合物是膜艺术的新事物。它们的主链和结构中有很大比例的氟被设计成增加自由体积。以前没有对这些聚合物进行过塑化/压实研究。与Tetramer的合作将使克莱姆森大学的研究人员能够接触到这些有前途的新型膜聚合物。提出了各种标准的和新的膜艺术分析技术来确定一组具有一系列分子结构的PFCB聚合物的基本结构-性能关系。更好地了解膜分离层的结构如何影响其对塑化/压实/物理老化的敏感性，将有助于更好地预测其性能，并可能找到限制其负面影响的新方法。Tetramer计划使用生成的数据来确定哪种缓解技术（如更严格的主干网、交联或甚至分割架构）将最有效地应用，以增加其相对于当前商业产品的竞争优势。关于塑化和压实现象的新知识也将有助于一般的膜技术。二氧化碳和碳氢化合物引起的塑化使聚合物气体分离膜的性能恶化。因此，我们抑制其负面影响的努力将产生巨大的有益影响。该项目将加强克莱姆森和特拉默的研究和教育基础设施。PI和他的学生将获得宝贵的访问新的膜生产和性能测试设施。Tetramer将扩展其内部研究能力，以了解PFCB聚合物在性能测试期间所经历的基本物理变化。Husson教授和他的学生将(1)每周召开研究会议，(2)进行膜制备和性能测试的研究，(3)每年由Husson教授举办工业研讨会。这个产学研合作项目的学生将接触到行业的运作，并接受行业合作者的指导，因为他们在Tetramer进行了一些研究。我们的工作将具有直接的商业意义。因此，为大学的使命做出贡献，将研究成果应用于教学和经济发展，并推进对功能性膜的了解，这在美国经济中起着至关重要的作用。正如胡森教授在他的职业生涯中所做的那样，将招收不同类型的学生。这种多样性延伸到性别、种族、残疾、学术专业和学术进步的阶段。在选择团队成员时考虑的一点是对多样性的贡献。我们的工作将为设计分子结构和生产实践提供所需的技术知识，以生产更具选择性、更具渗透性和更坚固的膜，用于从天然气中分离二氧化碳。结果将降低天然气预处理的操作成本。由于天然气是世界上增长最快的一次能源，占美国总能源使用量的20%以上，因此其经济影响可能是巨大的。

This 3-year research and education program entails collaboration between Prof. Scott Husson at Clemson University and Dr. Earl Wagener of Tetramer Technologies, L.L.C. (Tetramer) in Pendleton, SC. Our overall goal is to develop fundamental structure-property relationships for perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) polymer thin films and use these relationships as the foundation for improved molecular architecture design and production practices of PFCB-based membranes with enhanced resistance to compaction and plasticization by CO2 and hydrocarbons. Tetramer's PFCB polymers are new to the membrane art. They have a significant percentage of fluorine in the backbone and structures designed to increase free volume. No previous plasticization/compaction studies have been performed on these polymers. Partnership with Tetramer will give Clemson researchers access to these promising new membrane polymers. A variety of standard and new to the membrane art analytical techniques are proposed to determine the fundamental structure-property relations for a set of PFCB polymers having a range of molecular architectures. A better understanding of how the structure of the membrane separation layer affects its susceptibility to plasticization/compaction/physical aging would allow better prediction of performance and may lead to new ways to limit their negative impacts. Tetramer plans to use the data generated to determine which mitigation techniques, such more rigid backbones, crosslinking, or even segmenting the architecture, would be most effectively applied to increase their competitive advantages over current commercial products. New knowledge on plasticization and compaction phenomena also will contribute to membrane technology in general. CO2 and hydrocarbon-induced plasticization deteriorates the performance of polymer gas separation membranes. Thus, our effort to suppress its negative effects would have great beneficial impacts. This program will enhance the infrastructure for research and education at Clemson and Tetramer. The PI and his students will gain valuable access to new membrane production and performance testing facilities. Tetramer will extend its in-house research capabilities to understand the fundamental physical changes PFCB polymers undergo during performance testing. Prof. Husson and his students will (1) conduct weekly research meetings, (2) carry out research on membrane preparation and performance testing, and (3) present industrial seminars to be given by Prof. Husson each year. Students in this industry-university collaborative research program will gain exposure to the workings of industry and receive mentoring from industry collaborators, as they perform some of their research at Tetramer. Our work will have immediate commercial relevance. Thus, contributing to the university mission to put research to use in teaching and economic development and advance knowledge on functional membranes, which play a vital role in the US economy. A diverse group of students will be recurited, as Prof. Husson has done successfully throughout his career. This diversity extends to gender, race, disability, academic major, and stage of academic progress. One of the points considered in team member selection will be the contribution to diversity. Our work would provide technical knowledge needed to design molecular architecture and production practices to produce more selective, more permeable, and more robust membranes for CO2 separation from natural gas. A result would be a lower cost operation for natural gas pretreatment. Since natural gas is the fastest growing primary energy source in the world and provides over 20% of all energy used in the US, the economic impact could be tremendous.