Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation

Asymmetric polysulfone and polyacrylonitrile flat sheet membranes have been produced by a simple drywet casting technique. Both membrane types were cast at low and high shear rate. Molecular orientation in the membranes was determined using polarized reflection i.r. spectroscopy. Gas permeation prop...

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Main Authors: Shilton, S. J., Ismail, A. F., Gough, P. J., Dunkin, I. R., Gallivan, S. L.
Format: Article
Published: Elsevier 1997
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Online Access:http://eprints.utm.my/762/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0032-3861(96)00753-7
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author Shilton, S. J.
Ismail, A. F.
Gough, P. J.
Dunkin, I. R.
Gallivan, S. L.
author_facet Shilton, S. J.
Ismail, A. F.
Gough, P. J.
Dunkin, I. R.
Gallivan, S. L.
author_sort Shilton, S. J.
building UTM Library
collection Institutional Repository
content_provider Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
content_source UTM Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
description Asymmetric polysulfone and polyacrylonitrile flat sheet membranes have been produced by a simple drywet casting technique. Both membrane types were cast at low and high shear rate. Molecular orientation in the membranes was determined using polarized reflection i.r. spectroscopy. Gas permeation properties were examined using carbon dioxide and methane as test gases. I.r. dichroism was detected in all samples, the extent being greater in the high shear membranes for both polysulfone and polyacrylonitrile. The effects, however, were more intense in the polyacrylonitrile samples. Gas permeation tests showed that for both polymer types, the high shear membranes exhibited greater selectivity (CO2/CH4). Selectivities were greater and permeabilities lower for the polysulfone samples. The results show (i) that polarized reflection i.r. spectroscopy can be used to determine at least qualitatively the degree of molecular orientation in sheared polymers, (ii) that molecular orientation is enhanced by shear during casting, and (iii) that this has a favourable effect on membrane selectivity. In the examples chosen molecular orientation was more pronounced in the polyacrylonitrile membranes, but with these the potential for high selectivity was thwarted by the poor intrinsic permeability of the polymer which causes flow through pores or imperfections to dominate.
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spelling my.utm.eprints-7622010-10-26T08:42:17Z http://eprints.utm.my/762/ Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation Shilton, S. J. Ismail, A. F. Gough, P. J. Dunkin, I. R. Gallivan, S. L. TP Chemical technology Asymmetric polysulfone and polyacrylonitrile flat sheet membranes have been produced by a simple drywet casting technique. Both membrane types were cast at low and high shear rate. Molecular orientation in the membranes was determined using polarized reflection i.r. spectroscopy. Gas permeation properties were examined using carbon dioxide and methane as test gases. I.r. dichroism was detected in all samples, the extent being greater in the high shear membranes for both polysulfone and polyacrylonitrile. The effects, however, were more intense in the polyacrylonitrile samples. Gas permeation tests showed that for both polymer types, the high shear membranes exhibited greater selectivity (CO2/CH4). Selectivities were greater and permeabilities lower for the polysulfone samples. The results show (i) that polarized reflection i.r. spectroscopy can be used to determine at least qualitatively the degree of molecular orientation in sheared polymers, (ii) that molecular orientation is enhanced by shear during casting, and (iii) that this has a favourable effect on membrane selectivity. In the examples chosen molecular orientation was more pronounced in the polyacrylonitrile membranes, but with these the potential for high selectivity was thwarted by the poor intrinsic permeability of the polymer which causes flow through pores or imperfections to dominate. Elsevier 1997-04 Article PeerReviewed Shilton, S. J. and Ismail, A. F. and Gough, P. J. and Dunkin, I. R. and Gallivan, S. L. (1997) Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation. Polymer, 38 (9). pp. 2215-2220. ISSN 0032-3861 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0032-3861(96)00753-7 doi:10.1016/S0032-3861(96)00753-7
spellingShingle TP Chemical technology
Shilton, S. J.
Ismail, A. F.
Gough, P. J.
Dunkin, I. R.
Gallivan, S. L.
Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation
title Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation
title_full Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation
title_fullStr Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation
title_short Molecular Orientation and the Performance of Synthetic Oolymeric Membranes for Gas Separation
title_sort molecular orientation and the performance of synthetic oolymeric membranes for gas separation
topic TP Chemical technology
url http://eprints.utm.my/762/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0032-3861(96)00753-7
url_provider http://eprints.utm.my/