Characterization of 6FDA‐based hyperbranched and linear polyimide–silica hybrid membranes by gas permeation and 129Xe NMR measurements

Physical and gas transport properties of novel hyperbranched polyimide–silica hybrid membranes were investigated and compared with those of linear‐type polyimide–silica hybrid membranes with similar chemical structures. Hyperbranched polyamic acid, as a precursor, was prepared by polycondensation of a triamine, 1,3,5‐tris(4‐aminophenoxy)benzene (TAPOB), and a dianhydride, 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA). 6FDA‐TAPOB hyperbranched polyimide–silica hybrids were prepared using the polyamic acid, water, and tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) by sol–gel reaction. 5% weight‐loss temperature of the 6FDA‐TAPOB hyperbranched polyimide–silica hybrids determined by TG‐DTA measurement considerably increased with increasing silica content, indicating effective crosslinking at polymer–silica interface. CO₂, O₂, N₂, and CH₄ permeability coefficients of the 6FDA‐based polyimide–silica hybrids increased with increasing silica content. In addition, CO₂/CH₄ selectivity of the 6FDA‐TAPOB–silica hybrids remarkably increased with increasing silica content. From ¹²⁹Xe NMR analysis, characteristic distribution and interconnectivity of cavities created around polymer–silica interface were suggested in the 6FDA‐TAPOB–silica hybrids. It was indicated that size‐selective separation ability is effectively brought by the incorporation of silica for the 6FDA‐TAPOB hyperbranched polyimide–silica hybrid membranes. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 291–298, 2006     

Gas transport properties in thermally cured aromatic polyimide membranes

Aromatic polyimide derived from 2,2′-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) and 3,3′-diaminodiphenylsulfone (m-DDS) has been synthesized to facilitate the study of relationships between the polymer structure and the gas transport properties (permeability and selectivity). The gas permeability and selectivity of CO₂, O₂, N₂, and CH₄ for the 6FDA-m-DDS membranes cured at 150, 200, and 250°C have been determined at 35°C and at pressures up to 760 cmHg. The packing density and the fluorescence intensity of the 6FDA-m-DDS polyimide increased sharply with the increasing curing temperature. We propose that this behavior is associated with an increase in intermolecular and/or intramolecular interactions by a charge transfer complex formed in 6FDA-m-DDS containing an alternating sequence of electron donor and electron aceptor molecules. The effect of the microstructure of the thermally cured 6FDA-m-DDS membranes on their gas transport properties is discussed.     

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.     

Recent developments in polyetherimide membrane for gas separation

Polyetherimide (PEI) is an extraordinary type of polyimide with excellent thermal and mechanical properties. The polymer is also gas permeable and is considered one of the best membranes for gas separation. Despite the high selectivity, PEI suffers from low permeability due to the trade‐off between phenomena in polymers. To overcome this limitation, fillers are added during the membrane preparation to create voids for better gas transport. In this paper, permeability and selectivity data of PEI membranes for the separation of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and helium are discussed. The paper also summarizes the reported studies for adding fillers to improve the membrane performance.     

Preparation of Meldrum's acid-functionalized polyimides exhibiting organo-soluble,reactive, self-crosslinkable,and colorless features

Functional polyimides (PIs) having some desired properties, for example, organo-solubility, chemical reactivity, crosslinkable feature, and high transparency in visible region, are attractive for specific applications. This work reports an effort to integrate the above-mentioned properties in one polyimide through introduction of Meldrum's acid (MA) moieties to polyimide chains with using a MA-containing diamine (MADA) as a monomer. The polyimide prepared with MADA and 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride (6FDA) (PI[MADA-6FDA]) has a number-averaged molecular weight of 56,800 g mol⁻¹, shows good solubility in tetrahydrofuran and aprotic high polar solvents, and exhibits post-reactivity/crosslinkability through MA-mediated ketene chemistry. Crosslinked PI(MADA-6FDA) film shows a glass transition temperature of 289°C, a dielectric constant of about 2.78, and high flexibility bearing a near-180° bending. The MA-mediated ketene chemistry contributes to in situ building up covalent linkages between PI chains and silica nanoparticles (SNPs) in preparation of PI/SNPs nanocomposite films (NCF). Formation of the PI/SNPs NCFs enhances the thermal and mechanical properties, reduces the dielectric constants, and increases the transparency. The properties of the MA-functionalized PI are attractive for further studies on their applications.     

Effects of low molecular weight photosensitizer and UV irradiation on gas permeability and selectivity of polyimide membrane

A polyimide membrane, 6FDA–TMPD, was prepared from 5,5′-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]bis-1,3-isobenzofurandione (6FDA), and 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-phenylenediamine (TMPD). The effect of ultraviolet irradiation (UV irradiation) using a high-pressure mercury lamp on the gas transport properties of the 6FDA–TMPD membrane and membranes containing a photosensitizer was explored. Comparison between UV treatment and thermal treatment was also examined. The gas selectivities in all membranes were increased due to the irradiation. Especially in the H₂/N₂ and H₂/CH₄ separations, the selectivities effectively increased without a significant reduction in the H₂ permeability. These increases were considerable in the membrane having no photosensitizer which was expected to be an initiator for the cross-linking reaction. There was little effect of cross-linking, which was formed by the irradiation, on the gas permeation properties. Photosensitizers prevented drastic change in the membrane morphologies due to the irradiation.     

聚酰亚胺碳分子筛气体分离膜的研究进展

聚酰亚胺碳分子筛膜由于具有较高的热稳定性、耐化学性、气体渗透性和选择性,而受到广泛关注。根据近年来聚酰亚胺碳分子筛膜在气体分离方面的研究现状,详细介绍了填充改性、对前驱体进行预处理和聚酰亚胺单体改性的研究成果,并展望了聚酰亚胺碳分子筛分离膜的发展趋势,以期为未来高效分离膜的研发提供参考。     

Hydrocarbon/hydrogen mixed gas permeation in poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP), poly(1-phenyl-1-propyne) (PPP), and PTMSP/PPP blends

The gas permeation properties of poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP), poly(1-phenyl-1-propyne) (PPP), and blends of PTMSP and PPP have been determined with hydrocarbon/hydrogen mixtures. For a glassy polymer, PTMSP has unusual gas permeation properties which result from its very high free volume. Transport in PPP is similar to that observed in conventional, low-free-volume glassy polymers. In experiments with n-butane/hydrogen gas mixtures, PTMSP and PTMSP/PPP blend membranes were more permeable to n-butane than to hydrogen. PPP, on the other hand, was more permeable to hydrogen than to n-butane. As the PTMSP composition in the blend increased from 0 to 100%, n-butane permeability increased by a factor of 2600, and n-butane/hydrogen selectivity increased from 0.4 to 24. Thus, both hydrocarbon permeability and hydrocarbon/hydrogen selectivity increase with the PTMSP content in the blend. The selectivities measured with gas mixtures were markedly higher than selectivities calculated from the corresponding ratio of pure gas permeabilities. The difference between mixed gas and pure gas selectivity becomes more pronounced as the PTMSP content in the blend increases. The mixed gas selectivities are higher than pure gas selectivities because the hydrogen permeability in the mixture is much lower than the pure hydrogen permeability. For example, the hydrogen permeability in PTMSP decreased by a factor of 20 as the relative propane pressure (p/p_sat) in propane/hydrogen mixtures increased from 0 to 0.8. This marked reduction in permanent gas permeability in the presence of a more condensable hydrocarbon component is reminiscent of blocking of permanent gas transport in microporous materials by preferential sorption of the condensable component in the pores. The permeability of PTMSP to a five-component hydrocarbon/hydrogen mixture, similar to that found in refinery waste gas, was determined and compared with published permeation results for a 6-Å microporous carbon membrane. PTMSP exhibited lower selectivities than those of the carbon membrane, but permeability coefficients in PTMSP were nearly three orders of magnitude higher. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Gas transport properties of asymmetric polyimide membranes prepared by ion‐beam irradiation

Ion beam irradiation has been widely used to modify the structure and properties of membrane surface layers. In this study, the gas permeability and selectivity of an asymmetric polyimide membrane modified by He ion irradiation were investigated using a high vacuum apparatus equipped with a Baratron absolute pressure gauge at 76 cmHg and 35 °C. Specifically, we estimated the effects of the gas diffusion and solubility on the gas permeation properties of the asymmetric membranes with the carbonized skin layer prepared by ion irradiation. The asymmetric polyimide membranes were prepared by a dry–wet phase inversion process, and the surface skin layer on the membrane was irradiated by He ions at fluences of 1 × 10¹⁵ to 5 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm² at 50 keV. The increase in the gas permeability of the He⁺‐irradiated asymmetric polyimide membrane is entirely due to an increase in the gas diffusion, and the gas selectivity increases of the membranes were responsible for the high gas diffusion selectivities. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 262–269, 2007.     

Gas transport properties of 6FDA-TMPDA/MOCA copolyimides

The gas permeation behavior of 2,2′-bis(3,4′dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride(6FDA)-2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-phenylenediamine (TMPDA)/4,4′-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) copolyimides was investigated by systematically varying the diamine ratios. All the copolyimides were soluble in most of the common solvents. The gas permeabilities and diffusion coefficients decreased with increasing MOCA content; however, the permselectivity of gas pairs such as H₂/N₂, O₂/N₂, CO₂/CH₄ was enhanced with the incorporation of MOCA moiety. Moreover, all of the copolyimides studied in this work exhibited performance near, lying on or above the existing upper bound trade-off line between permselectivity and permeability.     

Improvement of CO2/CH4 separation characteristics of polyimides by chemical crosslinking

Uncrosslinked and crosslinked polyimides and copolyimides have been synthesized in order to increase selectivity without an unacceptable loss in permeability. The goal was to reduce undesirable effects caused by CO₂ induced swelling in CO₂/CH₄ separation processes by stabilizing the polyimide structure with crosslinks. In the polymerization reaction 6FDA (4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride) was used as dianhydride monomer and mPD (m-phenylene diamine) and DABA (diamino benzoic acid) were used as diamine monomers. With copolyimides containing strong polar carboxylic acid groups (i.e. 6 FDA–mPD/DABA 9:1) reduced plasticization was seen up to a pure CO₂ feed pressure of 14 atm, presumably due to hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid groups. By chemical crosslinking of the free carboxylic acid groups of the 6FDA–mPD/DABA 9:1 with ethylene glycol, the swelling effects due to CO₂ can be reduced at least up to a pure CO₂ feed pressure of 35 atm. With increasing degree of crosslinking, increasing CO₂/CH₄ selectivity was found because of reduced swelling and polymer chain mobility. By using ethylene glycol as a crosslinking agent, CO₂ permeability was not significantly lowered because the reduced chain mobility was compensated by the additional free volume caused by the crosslinks.     

Gas sorption and transport in UV-irradiated polyarylate copolymers based on tetramethyl bisphenol-A and dihydroxybenzophenone

Gas sorption and transport properties at 35°C are reported for a series of ultraviolet irradiated polyarylates prepared from tetramethyl bisphenol-A (TMBPA), 4,4′-dihydroxybenzophenone (DHB), and 5-tertiary-butyl isophthalic acid dichloride (tBIA). UV irradiation induces crosslinking and photo-Fries rearrangements in these polymers. The gas permeability of the polyarylates decreases with UV irradiation due to reductions in the diffusion coefficient; however, the ideal selectivity for all gas pairs increases with UV irradiation. The effect of UV irradiation on the gas transport properties of the polyarylates is compared with that reported in the literature for similar polyimide materials. The polyimides show much greater improvement in selectivity than do the current polyarylate materials. The photo-Fries rearrangements limit the amount of crosslinking achievable in these polyarylate materials in spite of the fact that additional benzophenone units are formed.     

Synthesis, characterization, and gas permeation properties of 6FDA-2,6-DAT/mPDA copolyimides

The goal of this work is to explore new polyimide materials that exhibit both high permeability and high selectivity for specific gases. Copolyimides offer the possibility of preparing membranes with gas permeabilities and selectivities not obtainable with homopolyimides. A series of novel fluorinated copolyimides were synthesized with various diamine compositions by chemical imidization in a two-pot procedure. Polyamic acids were prepared by stoichiometric addition of solid dianhydride in portions to the diamine(s). The gas permeation behavior of 2,2′-bis(3,4′-dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride(6FDA)-2,6-diamine toluene (2,6-DAT)/1,3-phenylenediamine (mPDA) polyimides was investigated. The physical properties of the copolyimides were characterized by IR, DSC and TGA. The glass transition temperature increased with increase in 2,6-DAT content. All the copolyimides were soluble in most of the common solvents. The gas permeability coefficients decreased with increasing mPDA content. However, the permselectivity of gas pairs such as H₂/N₂, O₂/N₂, and CO₂/CH₄ was enhanced with the incorporation of mPDA moiety. The permeability coefficients of H₂, O₂, N₂, CO₂ and CH₄ were found to decrease with the increasing order of kinetic diameters of the penetrant gases. 6FDA-2,6-DAT/mPDA (3:1) copolyimide and 6FDA-2,6-DAT polyimide had high separation properties for H₂/N₂, O₂/N₂, CO₂/CH₄. Their H₂, O₂ and CO₂ permeability coefficients were 64.99 Barrer, 5.22 Barrer, 23.87 Barrer and 81.96 Barrer, 8.83 Barrer, 39.59 Barrer, respectively, at 35°C and 0.2 MPa (1 Barrer = 10⁻¹⁰ cm³ (STP)·cm·cm⁻²·s⁻¹·cmHg⁻¹) and their ideal permselectivities of H₂/N₂, O₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄ were 69.61, 6.09, 63.92 and 53.45, 5.76, 57.41, respectively. Moreover, all of the copolyimides studied in this work exhibited similar performance, lying on or above the existing upper bound trade-off lines between permselectivity and permeability. They may be utilized for commercial gas separation membrane materials. __________ Translated from Acta Polymerica Sinica, 2008, 8 (in Chinese)     

The synthesis and characterization of polyimide homopolymers based on 5(6)‐amino‐1‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐1,3,3‐trimethylindane

The isomeric diamine monomer 5(6)‐amino‐1‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐1,3,3‐trimethylindane (DAPI) was successfully synthesized via the dimerization of α‐methylstyrene followed by nitration and reduction. High molecular weight, soluble polyimides were synthesized via ester–acid solution imidization techniques and had glass‐transition temperature values ranging from 247 to 369 °C. The polymers were soluble in common organic solvents because of the asymmetric and nonplanar nature of DAPI and displayed good short‐term thermal stability by thermogravimetric analysis, as shown by their 5% weight‐loss values above 500 °C in air. The DAPI/(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) polyimide also showed 2‐h thermal stability at 400 °C under nitrogen, despite the partial aliphatic character. Refractive index values as low as 1.571 were observed for DAPI/6FDA, which allows an estimated dielectric constant of 2.47 to be derived. The permeation of O₂ and N₂ was conducted on thin dense films. The bulky, bent, and isomeric nature of DAPI imparted film‐forming membranes that permitted high O₂ permeability. In combination with 3,3′,4,4′‐benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA), DAPI had a good combination of O₂ permeability and O₂/N₂ selectivity values of 2.8 Ba and 7.3, respectively. The polymerization method utilized to facilitate the cyclization of DAPI/BTDA to the polyimide affected the final thermal properties of the resulting polymer. The chemical imidization of DAPI/BTDA generated a polyimide with a glass‐transition temperature value of 311 °C and a 5% weight‐loss value in air of 457 °C. However, thermal and ester–acid imidization routes yielded an increase in the thermal properties. The ester–acid solution imidization of DAPI/BTDA produced a polymer glass‐transition temperature value of 333 °C and a 5% weight‐loss value of 525 °C in air. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2840–2854, 2000     

含叔丁基聚酰亚胺均质膜的气体分离性能

采用高温“一步法”缩聚合成了一系列含叔丁基的可溶性芳香聚酰亚胺树脂, 然后通过溶液浇注法制得相应均质薄膜, 并对其气体分离性能进行了测试, 同时研究了二酐结构和温度对聚酰亚胺均质膜气体分离性能的影响. 结果表明, 对于H₂, N₂, O₂, CO₂和CH₄ 等5种气体, 含叔丁基聚酰亚胺均质膜不仅表现出良好的透气性, 而且具有较高的气体透过选择性, 4,4'-(六氟异丙烯)二酞酸酐(6FDA)和均苯四甲酸二酐(PMDA)两类聚酰亚胺均质膜的气体分离性能最佳. 除CO₂外, 这两类聚酰亚胺均质膜的气体渗透系数随温度升高而升高, 而所有测试气体在这两种均质膜中的扩散系数和溶解度系数均随温度升高而增大.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel polyimides based on thiazole-containing diamine

A new kind of aromatic diamine monomer containing thiazole unit,2-amino-5-(4-aminophenyl)-thiazole (AAPT),was synthesized in three steps,starting from 4-nitroacetophenone.A novel thiazole-containing polyimide was prepared via the polycondensation of AAPT with 6FDA by one-step method.The resulting polyimide exhibits excellent solubility,film-forming capability and high thermal resistance.     

Gas‐transport properties of indan‐containing polyimides

A series of indan‐containing polyimides were synthesized, and their gas‐permeation behavior was characterized. The four polyimides used in this study were synthesized from an indan‐containing diamine [5,7‐diamino‐1,1,4,6‐tetramethylindan (DAI)] with four dianhydrides [3,3′4,4′‐benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA), 3,3′4,4′‐oxydiphthalic dianhydride (ODPA), (3,3′4,4′‐biphenyl tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA), and 2,2′‐bis(3,4′‐dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA)]. The gas‐permeability coefficients of these four polyimides changed in the following order: DAI–BTDA < DAI–ODPA < DAI–BPDA < DAI–6FDA. This was consistent with the increasing order of the fraction of free volume (FFV). Moreover, the gas‐permeability coefficients were almost doubled from DAI–ODPA to DAI–BPDA and from DAI–BPDA to DAI–6FDA, although the FFV differences between the two polyimides were very small. The gas permeability and diffusivity of these indan‐containing polyimides increased with temperature, whereas the permselectivity and diffusion selectivity decreased. The activation energies for the permeation and diffusion of O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ were estimated. In comparison with the gas‐permeation behavior of other indan‐containing polymers, for these polyimides, very good gas‐permeation performance was found, that is, high gas‐permeability coefficients and reasonably high permselectivity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2769–2779, 2004     

温度和压力对六氟二酐型聚酰亚胺的透气性能的影响

本文研究了温度和压力对五种六氟二酐（６ＦＤＡ）型聚酰亚胺膜对Ｈ_２、ＣＯ_２、Ｏ_２、Ｎ_２和ＣＨ_４五种气体透过性能的影响．在３０－１００℃区间，五种聚酰亚胺的透气系数与温度的关系均符合Ａｒｒｈｅｎｉｕｓ关系式；在０．３－１．２ＭＰａ区间，压力对透气系数的影响很小．６ＦＤＡ－４，４＇－二氨基二苯酮（ＤＡＢＰ）和６ＦＤＡ－３，３＇－二甲基二苯甲烷二胺（ＤＭＭＤＡ）在１００℃仍然具有较大的透气选择系数，是比较好的气体分离膜材料．     

含异山梨醇结构单元聚酰亚胺的合成与表征

以异山梨醇为原料,合成了含异山梨醇的二胺单体.将该单体与4,4′-(六氟异丙基)双邻苯二甲酸二酐(6FDA)反应,制备了含异山梨醇结构单元的聚酰亚胺.采用红外光谱、氢核磁共振、紫外光谱和热分析等手段,对产物的结构、热性能及光学性能等进行了表征.结果表明,所得到的聚酰亚胺具有较好的热稳定性和光学性能、并在极性溶剂中具有较好的溶解性.     

Boltorn-modified polyimide gas separation membranes

This paper describes the preparation, characterization and permeation properties of polyimide BTDA-AAPTMI (Matrimid 5218) and co-polyimide BTDA-TDI/MDI (P84) dense polymer films containing aliphatic hyperbranched polyesters, Boltorn (H40). The H40 are dispersed in the polymers at various concentrations.

For Matrimid–H40 1.0 wt% membrane the nitrogen permeability increases but with significant loss in selectivity, while at higher H40 concentrations (5.0 and 10.0 wt%) the permeability becomes lower than of the pure polymer and the selectivity generally stays constant. The dispersion of various concentrations of H40 (1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 wt%) in P84 membranes decreases gas permeability in comparison to pure P84, while the selectivity generally stays constant.