CO2 permeation properties of poly(ethylene oxide)-based segmented block copolymers

This paper discusses the gas permeation properties of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based segmented block copolymers containing monodisperse amide segments. These monodisperse segments give rise to a well phase-separated morphology, comprising a continuous PEO phase with dispersed crystallised amide segments. The influence of the polyether phase composition and of the temperature on the permeation properties of various gases (i.e., CO₂, N₂, He, CH₄, O₂ and H₂) as well as on the pure gas selectivities were studied in the temperature range of −5 °C to 75 °C. The CO₂ permeability increased strongly with PEO concentration, and this effect could partly be explained by the dispersed hard segment concentration and partly by the changing chain flexibility. By decreasing the PEO melting temperature the low temperature permeabilities were improved. The gas transport values were dependant on both the dispersed hard segment concentration and the polyether segment length (length between crosslinks). The gas selectivities were dependant on the polyether segment length and thus the chain flexibility.