Fluid separation processes using membranes based on fluorinated and perfluorinated polymers
AssigneesMembrane Technology and Research, Inc., New York University
InventorsTimothy C Merkel, Hao Zhang, Zhenjie He, Johannes G Wijmans, Yoshiyuki Okamoto
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Abstract
A process for separating components or a fluid mixture using membranes comprising a selective layer made from copolymers of an amorphous per fluorinated dioxolane and a fluorovinyl monomer. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for certain fluid components of interest while maintaining fast permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.
Claims10
A process for separating two components, A and B, of a fluid mixture having a ratio (Rf) of A:B, comprising:
- (a) passing the fluid mixture across a separation membrane having a feed side and a permeate side, the separation membrane having a selective layer comprising a copolymer consisting of 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.