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OwnerChunqing Liu, Stephen T. Wilson +1inventors
InventorsChunqing Liu, Stephen T. Wilson, David A. Lesch
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The present invention discloses an approach for making mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and methods for using these membranes. These MMMs contain a continuous polymer matrix and dispersed microporous molecular sieve particles. In particular, the present invention is directed to make asymmetric thin-film composite MMMs by coating a thin layer of molecular sieve/polymer mixed matrix solution on top of a porous support substrate followed by controlling the formation of a thin dense selective mixed matrix layer equal or larger in thickness than any of said molecular sieve particles. The MMMs of the present invention are suitable for a variety of liquid, gas, and vapor separations. The MMMs of the present invention have at least 20% increase in selectivity for these separations compared to the polymer membranes prepared from their corresponding continuous polymer matrices.
A method of making an asymmetric thin-film composite mixed matrix membrane comprising preparing a molecular sieve slurry by first dispersing said quantity of molecular sieve particles in one or more organic solvents, then dissolving a polymer or a blend of polymers into said molecular sieve slurry to form a solution and then coating a thin layer of said solution on a top surface of a porous support membrane followed by drying at a temperature sufficient to remove said organic solvents wherein said thin layer is equal to or larger in thickness than any of said molecular sieve particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.