Hollow fiber membranes of ethylene copolymers and process for use
AssigneeMonsanto Company
InventorsAlfred Keith Fritzsche, Richard L. Leonard
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Abstract
Hollow fiber membranes of copolymers of ethylene with 5 to 20 weight percent of copolymerizable vinyl monomers display much superior permeabilities to organic compounds than do polyethylene hollow fibers, less loss of permeability upon storage or use and good strength. Use of such new hollow fiber membranes affords an improved process for the separation of phenols from aqueous solutions thereof through permeation.
Claims22
A hollow fiber membrane consisting of a copolymer of ethylene with from 5 to 20 weight percent of a copolymerized vinyl monomer having an outside diameter of from 50 to 1000 microns, a wall thickness having a ratio of from 0.1 to 0.4 of said outside diameter and having a intrinsic permeability of phenol determined in a dilute aqueous solution of phenol at about 70.degree. C of from about 5 to about 100 .times. 10.sup.-8 cc's per cm thickness per second per square centimeter per volume fraction differential.
The process for the separation of phenols from aqueous solutions of phenols comprising contacting an aqueous solution of phenols with a first surface of a hollow fiber membrane consisting of a copolymer of ethylene and from 5 to 20 weight percent of a copolymerized vinyl monomer, said membrane having an intrinsic permeability to phenol determined in a dilute aqueous solution of phenol at about 70.degree. C of from about 5 to about 100 .times. 10.sup.-8 cc's per cm thickness per second per square centimeter per volume fraction differential, maintaining a second and opposite surface of said hollow fiber membrane at a lower chemical potential than said first surface, permeating a portion of said phenols into and through the hollow fiber membrane, and withdrawing at the second surface phenols at a higher concentration than the phenols concentration in said aqueous solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.