The effect of aryl nitration on gas sorption and permeation in polysulfone

CO_2, CH_4, O_2, and N₂ permeability and solubility of unmodified and aryl-nitrated polysulfone were determined at 35°C and pressures up to 20 atm. The degree of nitration was varied from 0 to 2 nitro groups per repeat unit. The permeability and diffusion coefficients for all gases decreased with increasing degree of nitro substitution. The decrease in gas diffusivity is attributed to a combination of decreased fractional free volume and decreased torsional mobility with increasing degree of substitution. The solubilities of N_2, O_2, and CH₄ do not show a systematic dependence on degree of substitution. However, CO₂ solubility apparently goes through a minimum as the degree of substitution is increased. CO₂ solubility may be influenced by a competition between increases in polymer polarity (favoring higher solubility) and lower free volume (favoring lower solubility) that accompanies increases in the polar nitro substituent concentration. CO₂/CH₄ solubility selectivity increases monotonically as the degree of substitution increases. CO₂/CH₄ permselectivity and diffusivity selectivity increased with increasing degree of substitution. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Gas sorption and transport in substituted polycarbonates

The effects of molecular structure manipulation of polycarbonates on sorption and transport of various gases were studied using tetramethyl, tetrachloro, and tetrabromo substitutions onto the aromatic rings of bisphenol A polycarbonate. Solubility and permeability measurements were made at 35°C over the pressure range of 1–20 atm for a variety of gases, namely CO₂, CH₄, O₂, N₂, and He. A threefold to fourfold increase in permeability was caused by the tetramethyl substitution, whereas the tetrachloro and tetrabromo substitutions reduced the permeability relative to the tetramethyl substitution. Lower activation energies for transport were found for the tetramethyl polycarbonate relative to the unsubstituted polycarbonate. Permeability coefficients were factored into solubility and diffusion coefficients. Sorption levels increased for all substitutions, but among the substituted polymers the levels remain practically the same. Solubility data were analyzed in terms of the dual sorption model. The Henry's law solubility coefficients obtained from this analysis were found to be consistent with a predictive equation developed for rubbery polymers. The usual correlation for predicting the Langmuir sorption capacity of the model overestimates the values for the substituted polycarbonates, and a proposal for the cause of this is offered. Thermal expansion of these polymers was measured using dilatometry, and the results are used in the interpretation of the sorption data. Diffusion phenomena are explained by segmental mobility and free volume considerations. The effects of CO₂ exposure history on sorption and transport were also investigated.     

Effect of isopropylidene replacement on gas transport properties of polycarbonates

The gas sorption and transport properties of a series of polycarbonates in which the isopropylidene unit of bisphenol A polycarbonate has been replaced with another molecular group are presented. Two new materials, bisphenol of norbornane polycarbonate (NBPC) and bisphenol Z polycarbonate (PCZ), are compared with several polymers which have been studied previously in this laboratory, including bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC), hexafluorobisphenol A polycarbonate (HFPC), and bisphenol of chloral polycarbonate (BCPC). The effect of molecular structure on chain mobility and chain packing is related to the gas transport properties. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetry are used to judge chain mobility, while x-ray diffraction and free volume calculations give information about chain packing. Permeability measurements were made for He, H₂, O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ at 35°C over a range of pressures up to 20 atm. Sorption experiments were also done for N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ under the same conditions. The permeability coefficients of these polymers rank in the order HFPC ? NBPC>PC>BCPC ? PCZ for all of the gases. With the exception of BCPC, this order correlates well with fractional free volume. The low gas permeability of BCPC is attributed to a polarity effect. In general, bulky and relatively immobile substituents, as in HFPC and NBPC, can yield improved separation characteristics. The polar group of BCPC and the flexible cyclohexyl substituent of PCZ result in relatively low gas permeability.     

Sorption and transport mechanism of gases in polycarbonate membranes

The transport phenomena of oxygen and nitrogen across a pure polycarbonate (PC) and a cobalt(III) acetylactonate (Co(acac)₃) containing PC membrane was studied. Co(acac)₃ was added into a polycarbonate membrane to enhance its oxygen solubility. The oxygen sorption isotherms was measured. It was found that the oxygen solubility decreased sharply as pressure increased, especially at low pressure region. On the contrary, the oxygen permeability increased slightly with respect to pressure. Both the solution-diffusion model and traditional dual mobility model were unable to explain the inconsistent pressure dependency between solubility and permeability. Instead of adopting Langmuir-Henry sorption model, a modified dual mobility model which incorporates BET-type isotherm to describe oxygen sorption. The diffusivity of molecules moving at the first adsorbed layer was assumed to be different from those moving at higher layers. This modified dual mobility model satisfactorily described both the pressure dependency of oxygen solubility and permeability. It was also found that the increase of oxygen/nitrogen selectivity was not due to the elevation of oxygen to nitrogen solubility ratio but due to the mobility ratio of oxygen to nitrogen at the higher adsorption layers.     

Gas sorption and transport in miscible blends of tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate and polystyrene

The permeability coefficients for He, O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ in miscible blends of polystyrene (PS) and tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate (TMPC) at 35°C and 1 atm driving pressure are reported. Sorption isotherms for CO₂ and CH₄ are also presented. The isotherms were fitted to the dual sorption model. The Langmuir capacity factor was found to follow an earlier correlation based on unrelaxed volume. For each gas, the permeability was found to go through a minimum when plotted against blend composition. This behavior is primarily the result of the volume change on mixing observed for this system. The attractive interaction between TMPC and PS is relatively strong as indicated by density and solubility data. The value of the binary interaction parameter was found to be of the same magnitude as that for poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO)-polystyrene (PS) blends. Considering the similarity of structure between PPO and TMPC, it is concluded that similar phenyl-phenyl interactions and conformational changes on blending may prevail in TMPC/PS blends.     

Effect of structure on the temperature dependence of gas transport and sorption in a series of polycarbonates

The permeabilities and solubilities of five gases are reported for bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC), tetramethyl polycarbonate (TMPC), and tetramethyl hexafluoro polycarbonate (TMHFPC) at temperatures up to 200°C. The temperature dependence of permselectivity is discussed in terms of solubility and diffusivity selectivity changes with temperature for CO₂/CH₄ and He/N₂ gas separations. The activation energies for permeation and diffusion and the heats of sorption are also reported for each gas in the three polycarbonates. Analysis of these values provides a better fundamental understanding of the effect of polymer-penetrant interactions and polymer backbone structure on the temperature dependence of the transport and sorption properties of gases in membrane separation processes. Important factors affecting the solubility and diffusivity selectivity losses or gains with increased temperature are also identified through correlation of these data with physical properties of the gases and polymers. These conclusions provide a framework for choosing the most promising membrane materials for particular gas separations at elevated temperatures. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Transport of carbon dioxide and methane in glassy aromatic polyesters

Solubilities and diffusivities of CO₂ and CH₄ in two aromatic polyesters [Ardel® poly(bisphenol A phthalate) (PAr) and poly(phenolphthalein phthalate) (PPha)] and one polycarbonate [Lexan® (PC)], generated from independent sorption and permeation measurements at 35°C and up to 25 atm, are compared. The permeability ratio for CO₂ over CH₄, at 20 atm and 35°C, ranges from 24 for PC, to 21 for PAr, and 27 for PPha. However, the permeability of PPha and PAr are 40 and 120% higher, respectively, than that of PC. Less than 21% change in the gas diffusivity was observed; therefore, a major portion of the observed higher permeability of PPha and PAr is attributed to an increase in the gas solubility. These data are interpreted qualitatively in terms of changes in the calculated packing density, chain torsional mobility of the polymer, and gas-polymer attraction.     

Oxygen/nitrogen separation by polycarbonate/Co(SalPr) complex membranes

An oxygen carrier, cobalt di-(salicylal)-3,3′-diimino-di-n-propylamine (Co(SalPr)), was added into a polycarbonate membrane for improving its oxygen/nitrogen selectivity. Both the oxygen permeability and oxygen/nitrogen selectivity increased when only 3 wt% of Co(SalPr) was added. The permeability kept increasing but the selectivity decreased when more than 3 wt% of Co(SalPr) was added. The oxygen to nitrogen solubility ratio decreased when 3 wt% of Co(SalPr) was added. Further increase in Co(SalPr) content led to an increase in oxygen/nitrogen solubility ratio. It was astonishing to know that the effect of Co(SalPr) content on the oxygen/nitrogen solubility ratio was totally opposite to that on the oxygen/nitrogen selectivity. A membrane gas transport model which combines the dual mobility model with pore model was adopted to explain the above phenomenon. The specific volume measurement implied that the pore diffusion was responsible for this behavior. The contribution of sorption-diffusion type transport was also investigated by examining the transport behavior of the 3 wt% Co(SalPr) containing membrane through which the pore diffusion is relatively low. The effect of upstream pressure on the oxygen permeability and solubility implied that the diffusivity of Henry's mode was much higher than that of Langmuir's mode. It was also found that the effects of upstream pressure and operating temperature on the oxygen/nitrogen selectivity were both in accordance with those on the Henry's mode solubility ratio. The above information suggested that in addition to the pore diffusion the ratio of Henry's mode diffusion dominated the O₂/N₂ separation instead of the overall O₂ to N₂ solubility ratio.     

Structure/permeability relationships of polyimides with branched or extended diamine moieties

Mean permeability coefficients for CO₂, O₂, N₂, and CH₄ in seven types of 6FDA polyimides with branched or extended diamine moieties were determined at 35.0°C (95.0°F) and at pressures up to 10.5 atm (155 psia). In addition, solubility coefficients for CO₂, O₂, N₂, and CH₄ in six of these polyimides were determined at 35.0°C and at 6.8 atm (100 psia). Mean diffusion coefficients for the six gas/polyimide systems were calculated from the permeability and solubility data. The relationships between the chemical structure of the polyimides, some of their physical properties (glass transition temperature, mean interchain spacing, specific free volume), and their gas permeability, diffusivity, and solubility behavior are discussed. The 6FDA polyimides studied here exhibit a considerably lower selectivity for the CO₂/CH₄ and O₂/N₂ gas pairs than 6FDA polyimides with short and stiff aromatic diamines with comparable CO₂ and O₂ permeabilities. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Dynamic mechanical and gas transport properties of blends and random copolymers of bisphenol-A polycarbonate and tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate

Dynamic mechanical and gas transport properties for homogeneous homopolymer blends and random copolymers of bisphenol-A and tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonates (PC-TMPC) were determined. The gas transport measurements were performed at 35°C for the gases He, H₂, O₂, Ar, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂. The results show that the copolymers have lower permeability, apparent diffusion, and solubility coefficients than the blends. Permeability coefficients for blends follow a semilogarithmic ideal mixing rule while copolymers exhibit negative deviations from this. Specific volume measurements show that the free volume available for gas transport is slightly larger in copolymers than in blends of the same composition. These apparently contradictory results may relate to the differences in local mode chain motions observed for the copolymer and blend series. The γ relaxation processes in PC and TMPC seem to operate independently in the blends (no intermolecular coupling) while there is clear evidence for intramolecular coupling in the copolymers. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Gas transport properties of poly(2,2,4,4-tetramethyl cyclobutane carbonate)

Gas transport properties of semicrystalline films of poly(2,2,4,4-tetramethyl cyclobutane carbonate) (TMCBPC) were studied. Permeability coefficients for He, O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ at 35°C for pressures between 1 and 20 atm are reported as well as sorption isotherms for N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ at the same conditions. The permeability coefficients for TMCBPC are larger than corresponding values for the aromatic bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) and tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate (TMPC), even though the TMCBPC films are semicrystalline. These results are explained on the basis of the larger free volume available for permeation in this polymer. Significant TMCBPC plasticization by CO₂ was also observed and this causes typical time-dependent behavior. The plasticization process starts at very low pressures compared with the behavior of aromatic polycarbonates PC and TMPC. This early onset of plasticization seems to be related also to the larger free volume in the amorphous phase of TMCBPC which favors high gas sorption. The diffusion coefficients for TMCBPC are also larger than those reported for the aromatic polycarbonates PC and TMPC. Ideal gas separation factors were found to follow the usual trend; that is, as permeability increases, the ideal separation factor decreases. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Gas transport properties of polycarbonates and polysulfones with aromatic substitutions on the bisphenol connector group

The effect that substitution of aromatic groups on the bisphenol connector unit of bisphenol-A based polycarbonate and polysulfone materials has on their gas transport properties was assessed. Replacement of a methyl group by a phenyl ring (bisphenol acetophenone polycarbonate, PC-AP, and bisphenol acetophenone polysulfone, PSF-AP) gives a small increase in permeability coefficients with similar or slightly higher selectivity for all gases compared to bisphenol-A polycarbonate, PC, or polysulfone, PSF. Substitution of two locked phenyl rings (fluorene bisophenol polycarbonate, FBPC, and fluorene bisphenol polysulfone, FBPSF) in place of the methyl groups in the connector unit leads to permeability and solubility coeffcients that are about twice those observed for PC or PSF. Increases in permeability for the polycarbonate and polycarbonate and polysulfone materials with aromatic substitutions are related to their larger fractional free volume. FBPC and FBPSF have the largest fractional free volume and the largest permeability coefficients. Thermal measurements show that the fluorene based polycarbonate and polysulfone materials have the highest thermal and oxidative stability. Such aromatic substitutions can be useful for developing gas separation membranes to be used in harsh thermal or oxidative environments. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structure-permeability relationships in silicone polymers

Permeability coefficients P for He, O₂, N₂, CO₂ CH₄, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, and C₃H₈ in 12 different silicone polymer membranes were determined at 35.0°C and pressures up to 9 atm. Values of P for CO₂, CH₄, and C₃H₈ were also determined at 10.0 and 55.0°C. In addition, mean diffusion coefficients D and solubility coefficients S were obtained for CO₂, CH₄, and C₃H₈ in 6 silicone polymers at 10.0, 35.0, and 55.0°C. Substitution of increasingly bulkier functional groups in the side and backbone chains of silicone polymers results in a significant decrease in P for a given penetrant gas. This is due mainly to a decrease in D , whereas S decreases to a much lesser extent. Backbone substitutions appear to have a somewhat lesser effect in depressing P than equivalent side-chain substitutions. The selectivity of a silicone membrane for a gas A relative to a gas B, i.e., the permeability ratio P (A)/P (B), may increase or decrease as a result of such substitutions, but only if the substituted groups are sufficiently bulky. The selectivity of the more highly permeable silicone membranes is controlled by the ratio S (A)/S (B), whereas the selectivity of the less permeable membranes depends on both the ratios D (A)/D (B) and S(A)/S(B). The permeability as well as the selectivity of one silicone membrane toward CO₂ were significantly enhanced by the substitution of a fluorine-containing side group that increased the solubility of CO₂ in that polymer.     

Syntheses and gas transport properties of polyarylates based on isophthalic and terephthalic acids and mixtures of bisphenol A and 1, 1 bi‐2‐naphthol

Polyarylates based on isophthalic (IA) and terephthalic (TA) acids and an equimolar mixture of the diols Bisphenol A (BPA) and 1,1 bi‐2‐naphthol (BN) were synthesized to produce BPA‐BN/IA and BPA‐BN/TA polymers and to measure their gas permeability coefficients, P(i), at several pressures and 35 °C, to the gases O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂. For the BPA‐BN/IA membranes, at a 2 atm up‐stream pressure, the P(O₂) and P(CO₂) are 0.93 and 4.0 Barrers with O₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄ ideal separation factors of 6.7 and 27. For the BPA‐BN/TA, at a 2 atm up‐stream pressure, the P(O₂) and P(CO₂) are 2.0 and 9.9 Barrers with O₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄ ideal separation factors of 5.6 and 21. Comparing the selectivity–permeability balance of properties shown by the BPA/TA membranes with that shown by the copolymer BPA‐BN/TA, the balance moves in the direction of higher selectivity and lower permeability because of the incorporation of BN, which is a more rigid monomer than BPA. However, when the balance of properties for the pair O₂/N₂ shown by BPA‐BN/TA is compared with the one shown by other membranes such as those based on mixtures of diols and diacids, that is the bisphenol A‐naphthalene/I‐T polymers reported in the literature, the balance moves up and to the right of the typical selectivity–permeability trade‐off observed in the BPA‐polyarylate family. Thus, simultaneous incorporations of flexible and rigid monomers in both the diols and the diacids lead to more productive and more selective membranes. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 256–263, 2006     

Syntheses and permselectivity properties of polysulfones based on bisphenol A and 1, 1 bi‐2 naphthol

Polysulfone copolymers based on mixtures of bisphenol A, BPA, and 1,1 bi‐2 naphthol, BN, diols have been synthesized and their gas permeability coefficients and selectivity separation factors for O₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄, at 5 atm and 35 °C, have been measured in a standard permeation cell. The polysulfone copolymers can form flexible thin films suitable for gas separation membranes. The gas selectivity for O₂/N₂ measured for the polysulfone copolymers synthesized with 50 and 70 mol % of BN, with the rest being BPA, in the initial mixture of diols are 6.4 and 6.8, respectively. The corresponding gas permeability coefficients for O₂ are 1.24 and 1.09 Barrers. Compared to the corresponding selectivity and permeability balance reported for polysulfones based on pure BPA, BPA–PSF, the copolymers show a balance that moves in the direction of higher selectivity with small losses in the permeability of the fastest gas. From the glass transition temperature determinations, it is observed that the incorporation of BN in the repeating unit of BPA–PSF inhibits large‐scale segmental motions that are reflected in reductions in the diffusivity coefficients for all gases. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 226–231, 2004     

Gas transport properties of a series of high Tg polynorbornenes with aliphatic pendant groups

A study of gas transport properties of novel polynorbornenes with increasing length of an aliphatic pendant group R (CH₃ , CH₃(CH₂)₃ , CH₃(CH₂)₅ , CH₃(CH₂)₉ ) has been performed. These polymers were synthesized using novel organometallic complex catalysts via an addition polymerization route. This reaction route maintained the bridged norbornene ring structure in the final polymer backbone. Gas permeability and glass transition temperature were found to be higher than those for polynorbornenes prepared by ring-opening metathesis and reported in the literature. It was shown that for noncondensable gases such as H₂ and He the selectivity over N₂ decreased when the length of the pendant group increased, but remained relatively stable for the more condensable gases (O₂ and CO₂). The permeability coefficient is correlated well to the inverse of the fractional free volume of the polymers. The more condensable gases showed a deviation from this correlation for the longest pendant group, probably due to an increase of the solubility effect. This polymer series demonstrated a simultaneous increase in permeability and selectivity, uncommon for polymers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 797–803, 1998     

Herstellung und Charakterisierung in Membranen von Ionophoren mit Selektivität fü Natrium-Ionen

Preparation of Neutral Sodium-Selective Ionophores and their Characterization in Membrane Electrodes Different ionopbores based on N,N′-dibenzyl-N,N′-diphenyl-1,2-phenylenedioxydiacetamide ( 1 ) have been prepared by substitution of the aromatic ring carrying the ether O-atoms. Substituents of widely different electronegativity (CH₃, CH₃O, CHO, CN NO₂, Br) do not relevantly influence the ion selectivity.     

Gas sorption and transport in substituted polystyrenes

The effects of pendant groups on gas transport were investigated using a series of substituted polystyrenes. Permeability coefficients were measured at 35°C and 1 atm for He, N₂, O₂, CH₄, and CO₂, and diffusion coefficients were calculated from time lag data. The absolute permeabilities for the polystyrenes are correlated reasonably well using a free volume model. All pendant group substitutions resulted in a reduction of the mobility selectivity for CO₂/CH₄ separation relative to polystyrene, although there was very little effect on the O₂/N₂ selectivity. The effects of the various substituents were individually analyzed in terms of their size, rigidity, and polarity. The addition of a methyl group to the backbone significantly decreases transport, while attachment to the para ring position increases permeation. Bulky rigid groups, such as t-butyl, enhance permeation even more. Methoxy and acetoxy substitutions provided an excellent means of examining plasticization of polymers by CO₂, such as cellulose acetate, which contain these same moieties. The response of these polymers indicates that the degree of plasticization is related to the polarity and flexibility of the pendant group.     

Effects of tertiary amines and quaternary ammonium halides in polysulfone on membrane gas separation properties

Polymers containing CO₂‐philic groups are of great interest for CO₂/light gas separation membranes because the affinity toward CO₂ can effectively increase CO₂ solubility and thus permeability. In this study, polysulfones (PSUs) modified with different degrees of benzyldimethylamine (DMA), benzyltrimethylammonium fluoride (TMAF), and benzyltrimethylammonium iodide (TMAI) were synthesized using sequential post‐functionalization reactions and investigated for CO₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄ separation. The physical properties of these polymers were studied, including density, fractional free volume, and glass transition temperature. In contrast to the conventional wisdom that tertiary amines exhibit an affinity toward CO₂, this study convincingly shows that the DMA substituent has a minimal impact on CO₂ solubility and CO₂/light gas solubility selectivity in PSUs under dry condition. On the other hand, incorporating TMAF and TMAI in PSU significantly increases CO₂ solubility. Particularly, introducing TMAI with a molar ratio of 1.07 relative to PSU repeating units increases CO₂/CH₄ solubility from 4.4 to 5.2, CO₂/CH₄ permeability selectivity from 21 to 45, and CO₂/N₂ permeability selectivity from 24 to 33 at 35 °C, while the CO₂ permeability decreases from 5.6 to 1.7 Barrers. The effect of these functional groups in PSUs on gas diffusivity and diffusivity selectivity can be satisfactorily described by the free volume model. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 1239–1250     

Gas permeability,diffusivity, solubility,and aging characteristics of 6FDA-durene polyimide membranes

We have determined the intrinsic gas transport properties of He, H₂, O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ for a 6FDA-durene polyimide as a function of pressure, temperature and aging time. The permeability coefficients of O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ decrease slightly with increasing pressure. The pressure-dependent diffusion coefficients and solubility coefficients are consistent with the dual-sorption model and partial immobilization. All the gas permeabilities increase with temperature and their apparent activation energies for permeation increase with increasing gas molecular sizes in the order of CO₂, O₂, N₂, and CH₄.The percentages of permeability decay after 280 days of aging are 22, 32, 36, 40, 42, and 30% for He, H₂, O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂, respectively. Interestingly, except for H₂ (kinetic diameter of 2.89 Å), the percentages of permeability decay increase exactly in the order of He (kinetic diameter of 2.6 Å), CO₂ (3.30 Å), O₂ (3.46 Å), N₂ (3.64 Å), and CH₄ (3.80 Å). The apparent activation energies of permeation for O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ increase with aging because of the increases in activation energies of diffusion and the decreases in solubility coefficients. The activation-energy increase for diffusion is probably due to the decrease in polymeric molar volume because of densification during aging. The reduction in solubility coefficient indicates the available sites for sorption decreasing with aging because of the reduction of microvoids and interstitial chain space.