Thermal treatment of poly(ethylene oxide)-segmented copolyimide based membranes: An effective way to improve the gas separation properties

Copolyimide membranes with different poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) content (from 28 to 68 wt percent, wt.%) have been thermally treated at different temperatures (from 200 to 300 °C) to evaluate the effect of the thermal protocol on the gas transport properties to O₂, N₂, CO₂ and CH₄. The permeability coefficients (P) for all gases increased after the thermal treatment of the membranes and were related to the PEO content, being this enhancement higher for membranes with lower PEO content. Thermal treatment at 300 °C of the membranes with 28 and 43 wt.% of PEO, yielded more productive materials for CO₂/N₂ separation since the permeability coefficients for CO₂ (PCO₂$P_{\text{C}{\text{O}}_2}$) increased 9.8 and 3.2 times, respectively, while the selectivity just suffered a small drop (less than 1.3 times in both cases). Overall, the membrane with 43 wt.% of PEO exhibited the best performance, with a PCO₂$P_{\text{C}{\text{O}}_2}$ of 78 Barrer and a CO₂/N₂ selectivity of 52. For CO₂/CH₄ separation, an increase on selectivity of 1.8 times was obtained in the copolyimide with 43 wt.% of PEO, reaching the selectivity a value of 18. This enhancement of productivity has been associated to an improvement of phase segregation.     

Thermodynamic properties of the ternary system {yNH4Cl + (1 − y)MgCl2} (aq) at 298.15 K

The mixture {yNH₄Cl + (1 − y)MgCl₂} (aq) has been studied using the hygrometric method at the temperature 298.15 K. The water activities are measured at total molalities from 0.30 mol kg⁻¹ up to saturation for different ionic strength fractions y of NH₄Cl with y = 0.20, 0.50 and 0.80. The obtained data allow the deduction of osmotic coefficients. Experimental results are compared with the calculations using the models of Zdanovskii–Stokes–Robinson, Kusik and Meissner, Robinson and Stokes, Lietzke and Stoughton, Reilly–Wood and Robinson and Pitzer. Thermodynamic properties have been modeled using the Pitzer ion-interaction model with inclusion of an ionic strength dependence of the third virial coefficient for the binary systems. From these measurements and the obtained binary parameters β⁽⁰⁾, β⁽¹⁾, C⁽⁰⁾ and C⁽¹⁾, the mixing ionic parameters θNH₄Mg${\theta }_{\text{N}{\text{H}}_4\text{Mg}}$ and ψNH₄MgCl${\psi }_{\text{N}{\text{H}}_4\text{MgCl}}$ are determined by the standard Pitzer model. The results show that a good accuracy is obtained with the standard Pitzer model using extended binary parameters. The parameters θNH₄Mg${\theta }_{\text{N}{\text{H}}_4\text{Mg}}$ and ψNH₄MgCl${\psi }_{\text{N}{\text{H}}_4\text{MgCl}}$ were used for evaluation of activity coefficients in the mixture. The excess Gibbs energy is also determined.     

Dehydration performance of a hydrophobic DD3R zeolite membrane

The all silica DDR membrane turns out to be well suited to separate water from organic solvents under pervaporation conditions, despite its hydrophobic character. All-silica zeolites are chemically and hydrothermally more stable than aluminum containing ones and are therefore preferred for membrane applications, including for dehydration, even though these type of membranes are hydrophobic. Permeation of water, ethanol and methanol through an all-silica DDR membrane has been measured at temperatures ranging from 344 to 398 K. The hydrophobic membrane shows high water fluxes (up to 20 kg m⁻² h⁻¹). The pure water permeance is insensitive to temperature and is well described assuming weak adsorption. Excellent performance in dewatering ethanol (N=2$N=2$ kg m⁻² h⁻¹and _αw=1500${\alpha }_{\text{w}}=1500$ at 373 K and _xw=0.18$x_{\text{w}}=0.18$) is observed and the membrane is also able to selectively remove water from methanol (N=5$N=5$ kg m⁻² h⁻¹ and _αw=9${\alpha }_{\text{w}}=9$). Water could also be removed from methanol/ethanol/water (_αwater_/EtOH=1500${\alpha }_{\text{water}/\text{EtOH}}=1500$, _αMeOH_/EtOH=70${\alpha }_{\text{MeOH}/\text{EtOH}}=70$ at 373 K) mixtures, even at water feed concentrations below 1.5 mol%.     

Solubility of carbon dioxide in pentaerythritol tetraoctanoate

In this paper, solubility measurements of CO₂ in pure pentaerythritol tetraoctanoate (PEC8) between 273 and 343 K are presented. The experiments were performed according to the static, synthetic method. The data are represented using the Peng–Robinson equation of state with the Huron–Vidal mixing rules and the UNIQUAC equation for the excess Gibbs Energy (g^E) at infinite pressure. This system shows immiscibility in liquid phase, with lower critical end point (LCEP) at T = 268 ± 0.1 K and xCO₂=0.98±0.001$x_{\text{C}{\text{O}}_2}=0.98\pm 0.001$ and upper critical end point (UCEP) at the critical point of pure CO₂.     

Iron organic speciation determination in rainwater using cathodic stripping voltammetry

A sensitive method using Competitive Ligand Exchange-Adsorptive Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (CLE-ACSV) has been developed to determine for the first time iron (Fe) organic speciation in rainwater over the typical natural range of pH. We have adapted techniques previously developed in other natural waters to rainwater samples, using the competing ligand 1-nitroso-2-naphthol (NN). The blank was equal to 0.17 ± 0.05 nM (n = 14) and the detection limit (DL) for labile Fe was 0.15 nM which is 10–70 times lower than that of previously published methods. The conditional stability constant for NN under rainwater conditions was calibrated over the pH range 5.52–6.20 through competition with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The calculated value of the logarithm of β^′_Fe3+(NN)3${{\beta }^{\prime }}_{{\text{Fe}}^{3+}{(\text{NN})}_3}$ increased linearly with increasing pH according to log β^′_Fe3+(NN)3=2.4±0.6×pH+11.9±3.5$\text{log}{{\beta }^{\prime }}_{{\text{Fe}}^{3+}{(\text{NN})}_3}=2.4\pm 0.6\times \text{pH}+11.9\pm 3.5$ (salinity = 2.9, T = 20 °C). The validation of the method was carried out using desferrioxamine mesylate B (DFOB) as a natural model ligand for Fe. Adequate detection windows were defined to detect this class of ligands in rainwater with 40 μM of NN from pH 5.52 to 6.20. The concentration of Fe-complexing natural ligands was determined for the first time in three unfiltered and one filtered rainwater samples. Organic Fe-complexing ligand concentrations varied from 104.2 ± 4.1 nM equivalent of Fe(III) to 336.2 ± 19.0 nM equivalent of Fe(III) and the logarithm of the conditional stability constants, with respect to Fe³⁺, varied from 21.1 ± 0.2 to 22.8 ± 0.3. This method will provide important data for improving our understanding of the role of wet deposition in the biogeochemical cycling of iron.     

Modelling LLE and VLE of methanol + n-alkane series using GC-PC-SAFT with a group contribution kij

The fluid phase diagrams (LLE and VLE) of methanol + n-alkane mixtures series (from C₄ up to C₁₆) were modelled using GC-PC-SAFT EOS (Tamouza et al., Fluid Phase Equilibria 222–223 (2004) 67–76) combined with a recent method for computing k_ij based on the London theory (NguyenHuynh et al., Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 47 (2008) 8847–8858). This latter method requires pure compound adjustable parameters: pseudo-ionization energies J that may be calculated by group contribution in the case of n-alkane series. J_alkane is calculated from group parameters JCH₃$J_{\text{C}{\text{H}}_3}$ and JCH₂$J_{\text{C}{\text{H}}_2}$.     

Solid–liquid metastable equilibria in the quaternary system Li2SO4 + MgSO4 + Na2SO4 + H2O at T = 263.15 K

Solubility in the liquid–solid metastable system Li₂SO₄ + MgSO₄ + Na₂SO₄ + H₂O at T = 263.15 K was studied using the isothermal evaporation method. Based on experimental data, dry-salt phase and water-phase diagrams of the system were plotted. The dry-salt phase diagram of the system includes one three-salt co-saturation point, three metastable solubility isotherm curves, and three crystallization regions corresponding to lithium sulphate monohydrate (Li₂SO₄·H₂O), epsomite (MgSO₄·7H₂O), and mirabilite (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O). Neither a solid solution nor double salts were found. Based on the extended Harvie–Weare (HW) model and its temperature-dependent equation, the values of the Pitzer parameters β⁽⁰⁾, β⁽¹⁾, β⁽²⁾, and C^Φ for Li₂SO₄, MgSO₄, and Na₂SO₄, the mixed ion-interaction parameters θ_Li,Na, θ_Li,Mg, θ_Na,Mg, ΨLi,Na,SO₄${\Psi }_{\text{Li,Na,S}{\text{O}}_4}$, ΨLi,Mg,SO₄${\Psi }_{\text{Li,Mg,S}{\text{O}}_4}$, and ΨNa,Mg,SO₄${\Psi }_{\text{Na,Mg,S}{\text{O}}_4}$, and the Debye–Hückel parameter A^Φ in the quaternary system at 263.15 K were obtained. The solubility of the quaternary system Li₂SO₄ + MgSO₄ + Na₂SO₄ + H₂O at T = 263.15 K was also calculated. A comparison between the calculated and experimental results shows that the predicted solubility agrees well with experimental data.     

Different alkyl dimethacrylate mediated stearyl methacrylate monoliths for improving separation efficiency of typical alkylbenzenes and proteins

Monoliths were prepared in 530 μm I.D. fused silica capillaries via in situ copolymerization of stearyl methacrylate (SMA) with a dimethacrylate cross-linker in the presence of a binary porogenic solvent containing tert  .-butanol and 1,4-butanediol. Alkyl dimethacrylate cross-linkers other than the monomer were used to tune the monolith properties, and, as a result, an increase in the hydrophobicity of the final monoliths (the methylene selectivity α_CH2${\alpha }_{\text{C}{\text{H}}_2}$ increased from 1.396 to 1.475) was observed through an increase in the molecular chain length between two methacrylate units from the 0.360 nm of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate to the 1.241 nm of 1.9-nonanediol dimethacrylate. Moreover, the hydrophobicity of the final monoliths was also greatly affected by the methyl group branch in the cross-linkers, among which the 2-methyl-1,8-octanediol dimethacrylate (2-Me-1,8-ODDMA) mediated monolith exhibited the highest hydrophobicity (α_CH2${\alpha }_{\text{C}{\text{H}}_2}$ was 1.482) and fastest mass transfer kinetics (C-term was 9.14 ms). Besides the effective separation of six model proteins, the poly(SMA-co-2-Me-1,8-ODDMA) monolith also showed an improved performance in the separation of alkylbenzenes. The theoretical plate numbers reached 83 000 plates/m and 52 000 plates/m for thiourea (nonretained compound) and butylbenzene (retained compound), respectively, when using acetonitrile–water (70:30, v/v) as the mobile phase at a typical linear velocity of 1 mm/s. This improved performance towards small molecules was attributed to an increased mesopore proportion in the monolith and the faster dynamic process of mass transfer arising from novel tailoring of the monolith by choosing a suitable monomer/cross-linker pair.     

Etude par diffraction de neutrons de la phase Sr0,5La1,5Li0,5Fe0,5O4

A neutron diffraction study has been carried out on Sr_0.5La_1.5Li_0.5Fe_0.5O₄ of K₂NiF₄-type derived structure and it has shown that iron in the tetravalent state has a high spin configuration (t³_2ge¹_g) and that the material has some stacking defects. At room temperature this compound shows an ordering between iron and lithium atoms leading to a nuclear cell a₀√2, a₀√2, c₀ (a₀ and c₀ are the parameters of the K₂NiF₄-type cell). At low temperature ($\text{T <}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>N</mtext>}}\text{2}$) the magnetic structure can be described as antiferromagnetic, corresponding likely to a colinear pattern with a propagation vector of 0.5 ($\text{2π}\text{a}{}_0$) along the [110] axis. At higher temperature ($\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>N</mtext>}}\text{2}\text{< T < T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>N</mtext>}}$) helimagnetic structure is consistent with a propagation vector of 0.47 ($\text{2π}\text{a}{}_0$) [110].     

Facile fabrication of a novel high performance CO2 separation membrane: Immobilization of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers in poly(ethylene glycol) networks

Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers showed high CO₂ separation properties and were successfully immobilized in a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) network upon photopolymerization of PEG dimethacrylate. The PAMAM dendrimer incorporation ratio was readily controlled, and a stable self-standing membrane containing up to 75 wt.% PAMAM dendrimer was obtained. The CO₂ separation properties over smaller H₂ were investigated by changing the PAMAM dendrimer content or generation and CO₂ partial pressure (ΔPCO₂$\mathrm{\Delta }{P}_{\text{C}{\text{O}}_2}$) under atmospheric conditions. Especially, a polymeric membrane containing 50 wt.% PAMAM dendrimer (0th generation) exhibited an excellent CO₂/H₂ selectivity of 500 with CO₂ permeability of 2.74 × 10⁻¹⁴ m³(STP)m/(m² s Pa) or 3.65 × 10³ barrer (1 barrer = 7.5 × 10⁻¹⁸ m³(STP)m/(m² s Pa)) when a mixture gas (CO₂/H₂: 5/95 by vol.) was fed at 25 °C and 100 kPa with 80% relative humidity. This polymeric materials are promising for a novel CO₂ separation membrane.     

Preparation and characterization of nanofiltration membranes by coating polyethersulfone hollow fibers with sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK)

A new type of nanofiltration membrane is reported based on coating a sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) layer on top of a polyethersulfone support. The membranes were characterized by dextran mixtures, salt solutions as well as negatively charged dyes. The SPEEK coated nanofiltration membranes showed molecular weight cutoff for dextran in the range of ultrafiltration, however, rather high rejection for sodium sulfate; retention for salts in the order of RNa₂SO₄>RNaCl>RMgCl₂$R_{\text{N}{\text{a}}_2\text{S}{\text{O}}_4}>R_{\text{NaCl}}>R_{\text{MgC}{\text{l}}_2}$; in addition, the membranes showed a 97–100% retention to the organic dyes. The rejection rates were improved by an increase in the coating thickness and the polymer concentration in the coating solution at the penalty of permeability decrease. Furthermore, it was found that pore penetration of SPEEK into the support membrane effectively constrained the swelling rate of SPEEK and increased the retention. The Donnan–Steric Pore Model was used to describe the transport properties of the membrane. Modeling identified a very tortuous passage within the active separation layer.     

Valence state of the Fe ions in Sr1−yLayFeO3

The Sr²⁺_1?yLa³⁺_yFeO₃ system with 0.1 ≦ y ≦ 0.6 has been studied mainly by the Mössbauer effect. The results are discussed referring to the Ca_1?xSr_xFeO₃ system. The following four kinds of electronic phases have been observed: the paramagnetic and the antiferromagnetic average valence phases and the corresponding mixed valence phases. Two kinds of Fe ions coexist, in general, in the mixed valence phases. In the antiferromagnetic mixed valence phase, typically at 4 K, the magnetic hyperfine field and the center shift each takes a wide range of value depending on the composition, while a beautiful correlation is kept between them. The extreme values are close to those expected for Fe³⁺ and Fe⁵⁺. The appropriate chemical formulas are, therefore, Ca_1?xSr_xFe^(3+Δ)+_0.5Fe^(5?Δ)+_0.5O₃ and $\text{Sr}{}_{\mathrm{1?y}}\text{La}{}_{\mathrm{y}}\text{Fe}{}^{\mathrm{(3+\delta )+}}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>(1+y)</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{Fe}{}^{\mathrm{(5?\delta )+}}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>(1?y)</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{O}{}_3$.     

Synthesis and characterization of the azido-bound five-coordinate high-spin iron(II) “picket fence” porphyrin complex

An Fe(II)-azido five-coordinate picket fence porphyrin complex with the formula [Na(2,2,2-crypt)][Fe^II(TpivPP)(N₃)] · 3C₆H₅Cl (TpivPP = α,α,α,α-tetrakis(o-pivalamidophenyl)porphinato, known as a picket fence porphyrin, and 2,2,2-crypt is the cryptand-222) has been synthesized and characterized. The synthesis utilizes cryptand-222 to solubilize sodium azide in the preparation procedure. The UV–Vis and IR spectroscopic data are consistent with an azido ferrous porphyrinate. The X-ray structural analysis and the Mössbauer results indicate that the ion complex [Fe^II(TpivPP)(N₃)]⁻ is high-spin and has the (d_xy)²(d_xz)¹(d_yz)¹(d_z2)¹(d_x2-y2)¹$({\text{d}}_{\mathit{xy}}{)}^2({\text{d}}_{\mathit{xz}}{)}^1({\text{d}}_{\mathit{yz}}{)}^1({\text{d}}_{z^2}{)}^1({\text{d}}_{x^2-y^2}{)}^1$ ground state electronic configuration.