Ending Aging in Super Glassy Polymer Membranes |
| |
| Authors: | Dr Cher Hon Lau Dr Phuc Tien Nguyen Dr Matthew R Hill Dr Aaron W Thornton Dr Kristina Konstas Dr Cara M Doherty Dr Roger J Mulder Dr Laure Bourgeois Dr Amelia C Y Liu Dr David J Sprouster Prof James P Sullivan Dr Timothy J Bastow Dr Anita J Hill Prof Douglas L Gin Prof Richard D Noble |
| |
| Institution: | 1. CSIRO Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Private Bag 33, Clayton South MDC, VIC 3169 (Australia);2. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (USA);3. Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton Victoria 3800 (Australia);4. Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, School of Physics, Monash University, Clayton Victoria 3800 (Australia);5. ARC Centre for Antimatter‐Matter Studies, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200 (Australia) |
| |
| Abstract: | Aging in super glassy polymers such as poly(trimethylsilylpropyne) (PTMSP), poly(4‐methyl‐2‐pentyne) (PMP), and polymers with intrinsic microporosity (PIM‐1) reduces gas permeabilities and limits their application as gas‐separation membranes. While super glassy polymers are initially very porous, and ultra‐permeable, they quickly pack into a denser phase becoming less porous and permeable. This age‐old problem has been solved by adding an ultraporous additive that maintains the low density, porous, initial stage of super glassy polymers through absorbing a portion of the polymer chains within its pores thereby holding the chains in their open position. This result is the first time that aging in super glassy polymers is inhibited whilst maintaining enhanced CO2 permeability for one year and improving CO2/N2 selectivity. This approach could allow super glassy polymers to be revisited for commercial application in gas separations. |
| |
| Keywords: | aging gas separation membranes polymers porous materials |
|
|
