Development of Solubility Selective Mixed Matrix Membranes for Gas Separation

Development of Solubility Selective Mixed Matrix Membranes for Gas SeparationResearchArticleDevelopmentofSolubilitySelectiveMixedMatrixMembranesforGasSeparationHeikeMushardt1,VerenaKramer2,DenizHülagü2,TorstenBrinkmann1,*,andMatthiasKraume2DOI:10.1002/cite.201300074Anewkindofgaspermeationmembraneisdevelopedtoseparatehigherhydrocarbons(C3+)frompermanentgases.Stateoftheartforsuchgaspermeationapplicationsaremembranesbasedonsolubilityselective,rubberypolymers,whichofferhighpermeancesbutrelativelylowselectivities.Thenewmembraneisdesignedtoimproveselectivity,andtherefore,significantlyreduceenergydemandandsizeofagasseparationplant.Themembraneisbasedonthemixedmatrixcon-ceptandconsistsofarubberypolymermatrixwithincorporatedactivatedcarbonparticles.Thistwophaseseparationlayerformsasolubilityselectivemixedmatrixmembranebycombiningtheadvantagesofbothmaterials.Theseparationofn-C4H10/CH4mixturesisinvestigated.Basedonexperimentalresultsanewconceptforatransportmodelformixedmatrixmembraneisintroduced.K