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.     

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.     

Evaluation of substituted polycarbonates and a blend with polystyrene as gas separation membranes

The balance between the rate and the selectivity of transport of various gas pairs in a series of polycarbonates has been examined. Replacement of the four available hydrogens on the aromatic rings of the bisphenol-A unit with CH₃, Cl, or Br groups gives materials with a better balance of these two characteristics than the unsubstituted polycarbonate (PC). For example, using CH₃ substitution increases the permeability to O₂ by nearly a factor of four with no loss in O₂/N₂ selectivity compared with PC, while using Br substitution increases O₂/N₂ selectivity by 50% without any loss in O₂ permeability compared with PC. While these substitutions affect the permeability through both its mobility and solubility components, the remarkable selectivity effects are caused primarily by changes in relative mobility since the changes in solubility characteristics are nearly the same for all gases. These substitutions alter chain motions, cohesion, and packing as discussed. The tetramethylbisphenol-A polycarbonate forms miscible blends with polystyrene. These blends show absolute permeability coefficients which are lower than additivity while the selectivity of transport is greater. These effects are a result of the interactions between the two polymers.     

Transport properties of polyimides containing phenylquinoxaline moieties

The gas permeabilities of a number of new structurally related polyimides containing phenylquinoxaline moieties were studied for the first time. The test polymers had different dianhydride units, whereas their diamine components differed in the presence of flexible ether bonds-O-in the main chain, a structure that is reflected in the effective packing of chains and, as a result, in transport parameters. The permeability, diffusion, and solubility coefficients for the gases H₂, He, O₂, N₂, CO, CO₂, and CH₄, as well as the ideal separation factors for gas pairs, were determined. The transport characteristics of polymers were compared within the given polymer series and with published data for other polymer series.     

Investigation of gas transport and other physical properties in relation to the bromination degree of polymers of intrinsic microporosity

In this work, the synthesis of novel polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) with different degrees of bromine substitution by a free-radical substitution reaction was performed. The synthesized polymers were thoroughly characterized and their bromination degree was verified via nuclear magnetic resonance. The brominated PIMs were investigated by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and density measurements and correlated with their gas transport properties. It was found that with an increase in the bromination degree, the synthesized PIMs exhibited a significant increase in polymer chain packing density which led to reduced fractional free volume and consequent decrease in gas diffusion and permeability coefficients. The change in permeability coefficients caused an improvement in the CO₂/N₂, CO₂/CH₄, and O₂/N₂ ideal permeability selectivities. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2752–2761     

Structure/permeability relationships of polyimide membranes. Applications to the separation of gas mixtures

The permeability of nine different polyimide membranes to H₂, N₂, O₂, CH₄, and CO₂ has been determined at 35°C and at applied pressures of up to 9 atm. The dianhydride monomers used for the synthesis of the polymides were PMDA and 6FDA, whereas the diamine monomers were ODA, BDAF, and p-PDA. The selectivities of the 6FDA polymides toward CO₂ relative to CH₄ are higher than those of the PMDA polyimides at comparable CO₂ permeabilities. Both types of polyimides exhibit significantly higher CO₂/CH₄ selectivities than more common glassy polymers, such as cellulose acetate, polysulfone, and polycarbonate. The selectivities of the PMDA and 6FDA polyimides to O₂ relative to N₂ are of the same magnitude and generally higher than those of common glassy polymers with similar O₂ permeabilities. The polymides are more permeable to N₂ than to CH₄, whereas the opposite is true for many other glassy polymers. Possible factors responsible for the above behavior, such as segmental mobility, mean interchain distance, and formation of charge transfer complexes, are examined. The relevance of the study to the development of more highly gas-selective and permeable membranes for the separation of gas mixtures is also discussed.     

The effects of CO2 exposure on pure and mixed gas permeation behavior: comparison of glassy polycarbonate and silicone rubber

Pure and binary mixture permeabilities have been investigated for the C0₂/CH₄ system in polycarbonate and silicone rubber. Upstream pressure conditions ranging from zero up to the critical point of CO₂ were investigated. No permeability hysteresis was observed for the silicone rubber sample with pure or binary feeds of CO₂ and CH₄. On the other hand, perturbation treatments with CO₂ resulted in long-lived increases in the permeability of the conditioned polycarbonate films compared to untreated films. Increases in CO₂ permeability of 50% persisted for the polycarbonate sample over a period spanning more than two months. CO₂/CH₄ mixed gas measurements on the conditioned polycarbonate film also reflect changes in its permselection properties. The CO₂ permeability in the mixed gas system is based on a fugacity driving force to provide a rigorous comparison with the pure gas system. The conditioning treatment caused reductions in permselectivity of 30% relative to the as-received film for mixed gas feed streams of CO₂/CH₄ under the conditions studied. The permselectivity effects also appear to be semi-permanent and continue if the conditioning medium is not totally removed after the conditioning treatment.     

Transport of gases in unmodified and arylbrominated 2,6-dimethyl- 1,4-poly (phenylene oxide)

Independent solubility and permeability data, measured at 35°C at up to 26 atm, are reported to show the influence of aryl-bromination on the transport of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂ in 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO). The permeability of PPO was found to vary with the extent of bromination, and the magnitude of change depends on the nature of the gas. The apparent solubility coefficients of all three gases at 20 atm in the polymer increased with the extent of bromination, and the percentage of increase was higher for the gas with lower condensability. The concentration-averaged diffusivities of CO₂ and CH₄ also showed some variation with the extent of bromination. In particular, there was a notable increase in the diffusivity of CO₂ but a slight decrease in that of CH₄ when the extent of bromination was increased to 91%. The gas-transport data were also analyzed according to the dual-mode model. The dual-mode parameters exhibit similar dependence on the extent of bromination as the apparent solubility coefficient and concentration-averaged diffusivity do. These observations are interpreted in terms of changes in the average packing, torsional mobility of the chain segments, and cohesive energy density of the polymer.     

Specific volume of bisphenol C-2 polycarbonate

The molecular weight (M) dependence of specific volume (v_sp) for bisphenol C-2 polycarbonate (BCPC) is described. It has been confirmed that the Fox-Flory relation v_sp=A₀ + (A₁/M) is satisfied at 296 K, i.e. below the glass transition temperature of BCPC (441 K). The specific volume data for BCPC have been determined and compared with the corresponding data for bisphenol A polycarbonate.     

Permeation and sorption in polynorbornenes with organosilicon substituents

Gas sorption properties, permeability coefficients, and diffusion coefficients of a series of norbornene polymers are presented. Introduction of the Si(CH₃)₃ group into the polynorbornene (PNB) backbone chain results in significant increases in glass transition temperature, permeability, and diffusion coefficient for a number of gases (H₂, O₂, N₂, CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₆). The transport properties and sorption isotherms for poly(5-trimethylsilyl norbornene) (PTMSNB) are very similar to those for poly(vinyltrimethyl silane) (PVTMS), which contains the same side-chain group but differs from PTMSNB by the structure of its main chain. For another silicon-containing polymer poly[5-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilabutyl) norbornene] (PDSNB) having a bulkier side-chain group, the glass-transition temperature is decreased in comparison with that of PNB, presumably owing to self-plasticization. Both silicon-containing norbornene polymers (PTMSNB and PDSNB) have permeability coefficients for “rapid” gases like H₂ or CO₂ of about 10² Barrer. The high values of the Langmuir sorption capacity C′_H for PTMSNB and PVTMS, as well as the high diffusivity and mobility of spin probes in these polymers, were attributed to a large free volume related to the bulky Si(CH₃)₃ groups attached directly to the main chain. © 1993 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.     

Gravimetric study of high-pressure sorption of gases in polymers

A gravimetric method for determining precisely the solubility of gases in polymers at high pressure is described. The solubilities of N₂ and CO₂ in low-density polyethylene (LDPE); CO₂ in polycarbonate (PC); and N₂, CH₄, C₂H₆, and CO₂ in polysulfone (PSUL) have been measured as a function of pressure up to 50 atm. Most of the measured sorption isotherms agreed closely with published data, but reproducible and time-dependent hysteresis in the sorption of CO₂, C₂H₆, and CH₄ in glassy polymers, PC, and PSUL, was observed in this study for the first time. Like the well known conditioning effect of high-pressure CO₂ on the sorption capacity of glassy polymers, these hysteresis phenomena are believed to be due to the plasticizing effect of sorbed gases. On the basis of the current data, the dual-mode sorption model including the plasticization by sorbed gas is discussed and a primitive equation for the concentration of sorbed gases in a quasiequilibrium state of sorption or desorption is proposed.     

Gas transport in polymers based on bisphenol-A

Permeation measurements for CO₂, CH₄, O₂, N₂, and He were made with three polymers based on bisphenol-A, namely a polyhydroxyether, a polyetherimide, and a polyarylate. Measurements were also made for CO₂ and CH₄ in polysulfone. The data for CO₂, CH₄, and N₂ plus previous data for these gases in polycarbonate and polysulfone were combined with equilibrium gas sorption data and analyzed with the dual mode/partial immobilization model and the more recent gas-polymer-matrix model. A comparison of the two models was done on the basis of physical interpretations of the resulting parameters. The diffusion coefficient for the Henry's law population was related to the kinetic diameter of the gas. The infinite dilution, Henry's law, and Langmuir diffusion coefficients were related to the free volume of the polymer. The work suggests a means for order-of-magnitude estimation of diffusion coefficients from polymer density and molecular structure.     

Effect of methyl substituents on permeability and permselectivity of gases in polyimides prepared from methyl-substituted phenylenediamines

Permeability and solubility coefficients for H₂, CO₂, O₂, CO, N₂, and CH₄ in polyimides prepared from 6FDA and methyl-substituted phenylenediamines were measured to investigate effects of the substituents on gas permeability and permselectivity. The methyl substituents restrict internal rotation around the bonds between the phenyl rings and the imide rings. The rigidity and nonplanar structure of the polymer chain, and the bulkiness of methyl groups make chain packing inefficient, resulting in increases in both diffusion and solubility coefficients of the gases. Polyimides from tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine and trimethyl-m-phenylenediamine display very high permeability coefficients and very low permselectivity due to very high diffusion coefficients and very low diffusivity selectivity, as compared with the other polyimides having a similar fraction of free space. This suggests that these polyimides have high fractions of large-size free spaces.     

Mixed-matrix membranes comprising graphene-oxide nanosheets for CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/CH<Subscript>4</Subscript> separation: A comparison between glassy and rubbery polymer matrices

The effect of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on the CO₂/CH₄ separation performance of a rubbery (poly(dimethylsiloxane), PDMS) as well as a glassy (polyetherimide, PEI) polymer is studied. Interfacial interactions between the nanosheets and both polymers are revealed by FTIR and SEM. The results of gas permeation through the membranes demonstrate that GO nanosheets enhance CO₂/CH₄ diffusivityselectivity of PEI and CO₂/CH₄ solubility-selectivities of the PEI and PDMS polymers, while diminish CO₂/CH₄ diffusivity-selectivity of PDMS. Furthermore, the possibility of overcoming the common tradeoff between CO₂ permeability and CO₂/CH₄ selectivity of rubbery and glassy polymers by incorporating very low amounts of graphene oxide nanosheets is addressed. In other words, at 0.25 wt % GO loading, the PEI membrane shows simultaneous enhancement of CO₂ permeability (16%) and CO₂/CH₄ selectivity (59%). Also, for the PDMS membrane simultaneous enhancement of CO₂ permeability (29%) and CO₂/CH₄ selectivity (112%) is occurred at 0.5 wt % GO loading. Finally, the capability of the well known Nielsen model to predict the gas permeability behavior of the nanocomposites is investigated.     

Tests of a “free-volume” model of gas permeation through polymer membranes. I. Pure CO2, CH4, C2H4, and C3H8 in polyethylene

Permeability coefficients have been measured for CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₄, and C₃H₈ in polyethylene membranes at temperatures of 5, 20, and 35°C and at applied gas pressures of up to 30 atm. The temperature and pressure dependence of the permeability coefficients was represented satisfactorily by an extension of Fujita's free-volume model of diffusion of small molecules in polymers. The results of the present steady-state permeability measurements provide further support for the conclusion reached from previous unsteady-state diffusivity measurements that Fujita's model is applicable to the transport of small molecules, such as CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₄, and C₃H₈, in polyethylene. It was previously thought that this model is applicable only to the transport of larger molecules, such as of organic vapors, in polymers.     

Gas transport behavior of mixed-matrix membranes composed of silica nanoparticles in a polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1)

Recently, high-free volume, glassy ladder-type polymers, referred to as polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM), have been developed and their reported gas transport performance exceeded the Robeson upper bound trade-off for O₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄. The present work reports the gas transport behavior of PIM-1/silica nanocomposite membranes. The changes in free volume, as well as the presence and volume of the void cavities, were investigated by analyzing the density, thermal stability, and nano-structural morphology. The enhancement in gas permeability (e.g., He, H₂, O₂, N₂, and CO₂) with increasing filler content shows that the trend is related to the true silica volume and void volume fraction.     

Effects of packing density on the gas-transport properties of poly(phenolphthalein phthalate)s

The gas transport and other pertinent properties of three aromatic polyesters, made by reacting phenolphthalein with terephthaloyl chloride (PPha-tere), 50:50 terephthaloyl and isophthaloyl chlorides (PPha-50:50), and isophthaloyl chloride (PPha-iso), are reported. The glass transition temperatures of PPha-tere, PPha-50:50, and PPha-iso are 299, 279, and 249°C, respectively. Unexpectedly, the densities are 1.297, 1.298, and 1.304 g/cm³ in the same order; PPha-iso, therefore, has a higher packing density than PPha-tere. The permeability of PPha-tere to CO₂, CH₄, N₂, and O₂ is roughly 25% higher than that of PPha-50:50, and roughly 100% higher than that of PPha-iso. PPha-tere is roughly five times as permeable as polysulfone but has slightly higher permselectivities for the above gases. On the other hand, the solubilities of each gas in these three aromatic polyesters are roughly the same, suggesting that the higher permeability of PPha-tere is the result of a much larger gas diffusivity in the polymer. It is shown here that the significant difference in gas-diffusivity is a manifestation of the effects of packing density on the transport properties of glassy polymers.     

Gas transport properties of polymers based on spirobiindane bisphenol

Transport properties of pure gases in polycarbonates, polyesters, and polyetherimides based on 6,6′-dihydroxy-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethyl-1,1′-spiro biindane (SBI) and bisphenol-A (BPA) are compared at 35°C. The SBI monomer contains two spiro-linked five-membered rings which are fused to the phenyl rings at the meta and para positions to the hydroxyl groups. This molecular structure gives SBI-based polymers with higher fractional free volume (FFV) and lower intramolecular motions as compared to the BPA-based analogs. The inhibition of chain packing due to the SBI moiety yields polymers with much higher permeabilities for all the gases studied, despite the hinderance of mobility associated with the SBI structure. Simultaneous increase in selectivity was also observed for some gas pairs. Oxygen permeabilities up to 5.9-fold higher with increases of up to 13% in O₂/N₂ selectivities were observed for a polyester based on SBI as compared to its analog based on BPA. Higher permeabilities of up to 4.3-fold for He and up to 4.8-fold for CO₂ were observed due to the substitution of SBI for BPA. Not surprisingly, lower values of He/CH₄ and CO₂/CH₄ selectivities were obtained for the more open SBI-containing polymers. The changes in fractional free volume and inhibition of small-scale mobility for some materials caused by the SBI moiety were measured and used in the interpretation of the gas transport properties. The individual contributions of diffusivity and solubility to the overall transport behavior of the polymers are discussed and correlated to the structural alterations caused by the SBI substitution for BPA monomer. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Gas permeability of cardo-poly(ether-ether-ketone) and poly(phenylene sulfide)

The gas permeability and sorption of CO₂ and N₂O was measured on cardo-poly(ether-ether-ketone) (C-PEEK) and poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) at 298 K. The results are discussed on the basis of the dual-mode model. Results obtained from measurements at 308 K are compared with literature data of poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO), poly(sulfone) (PSU) and poly(carbonate) (PC). While C-PEEK shows similar transport properties as PC and PSU, the values of PPS are distinctly lower. The solubility of CO₂ in the various polymers as well as the correlation of the permeability coefficients of the same polymers for He, Ar, CO₂, N₂, and CH₄ with the kinetic molecular diameter of the gases indicate a simple relation of the transport properties with the polymer density.