Gas Separation Membranes Based on Fluorinated and Perfluorinated Polymers
AssigneesMembrane Technology and Research, Inc., New York University
InventorsTimothy C. Merkel, Hao Zhang, Zhenjie He, Yoshiyuki Okamoto
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Abstract
A process for separating components of a gas mixture using gas-separation copolymer membranes. These membranes use a selective layer made from copolymers of an amorphous perfluorinated dioxolane and a fluorovinyl monomer. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for gas pairs of interest while maintaining fast gas permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers such as Teflon® AF, Hlyflon® AD, and Cytop®.
Claims18
A process for separating two components, A and B, of a gas mixture having a ratio (Rf) of A:B, comprising:
- (a) passing the gas mixture across a separation membrane having a feed side and a permeate side, the separation membrane having a selective layer comprising a copolymer comprising a perfluorinated dioxolane monomer and a fluorovinyl monomer selected from one of the following formulas:
- F2C═CFR, where R is H, Cl, a C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl, or OX, where X is a C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl or a C1-C12 perfluorooxyalkyl having one or more ether groups, or
- H2C═CR1R2, where R1 is F, H, C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl, or OX, or where X is a C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl or a C1-C12 perfluorooxyalkyl having one or more ether groups, and R2 is F, C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl, or OX, or where X is a C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl or a C1-C12 perfluorooxyalkyl having one or more ether groups,
- (b) providing a driving force for transmembrane permeation;
- (c) withdrawing from the permeate side a permeate stream having a ratio (Rp) of A:B, where Rp>Rf;
- and
- (d) withdrawing from the feed side a residue stream having a ratio (Rr) of A:B, where Rr<Rf.
The process of claim 1, wherein the separation membrane has a selective layer of thickness less than 10 μm.
A process for separating two components, A and B, of a gas mixture having a ratio (Rf) of A:B, comprising:
- (a) passing the gas mixture across a separation membrane having a feed side and a permeate side, the separation membrane having a selective layer comprising a copolymer comprising a perfluorinated dioxolane monomer selected from the group comprising
- and tetrafluoroethylene (TFE);
- (b) providing a driving force for transmembrane permeation;
- (c) withdrawing from the permeate side a permeate stream having a ratio (Rp) of A:B, where Rp>Rf;
- and
- (d) withdrawing from the feed side a residue stream having a ratio (Rr) of A:B, where Rr<Rf.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.