Ethano-Tröger's Base Polyimide Membranes for Gas Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for high-performance materials with high permeability and selectivity for membrane-based gas separation processes, particularly for applications like air separations, hydrogen recovery, natural gas sweetening, and carbon capture, where current materials do not adequately address the cost and efficiency challenges.
Innovation Solution
The development of ethano-Tröger's base-amine monomers and ethano-Tröger's base polyimides of intrinsic microporosity, which are synthesized through specific chemical processes and used to create membranes with tailored microporosity for enhanced gas separation performance, including polymerizing ethano-Tröger's base-amine monomers with anhydride monomers and forming membranes in various geometries like flat sheet and hollow fiber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional membrane materials are used for gas separation, then the process can be implemented with existing technology, but the permeability and selectivity are insufficient for high-performance applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the molecular structure of Tröger's base by introducing an ethano bridge (changing the structural parameter) to create ethano-Tröger's base-derived diamines. This structural parameter change results in polyimides with enhanced microporosity, achieving high permeability and selectivity for gas separation while maintaining solution processability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite polyimide structures by combining ethano-Tröger's base-derived diamines with various anhydride monomers. This composite approach allows tuning of microporosity and gas separation performance while maintaining ease of manufacture through solution processing
2Productivity
If new high-performance materials are developed to improve permeability and selectivity, then gas separation efficiency increases, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves high gas separation efficiency by changing the microporosity parameter through the ethano bridge structure. This parameter change creates intrinsic microporosity that enhances permeability and selectivity without requiring complex device designs or multi-step manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The ethano-Tröger's base-derived polyimides exhibit self-organizing microporous structures that automatically form during polymerization. This self-service characteristic allows the material to achieve high gas separation efficiency without requiring additional processing steps or complex manufacturing equipment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting ethano-Tröger's base polyimides demonstrate high permeability and selectivity, enabling efficient separation of gas species, such as O2/N2 and CO2/CH4, with improved stability and performance compared to existing materials, making them suitable for a range of industrial gas separation applications.
Implementation Method 1
membrane-based gas separation is an important process for different industrial applications including air separations (O2/N2), efficient hydrogen recovery (H2/N2 and H2/CH4), natural gas sweetening (CO2/CH4, H2S/CH4), and carbon capture from flue gas (CO2/N2)
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally describe ethano-Tröger's base-amine monomers, ethano-Tröger's base polyimides of intrinsic microporosity, membranes based on ethano-Tröger's base polyimides of intrinsic microporosity, methods of making ethano-Tröger's base-amine monomers, methods of making ethano-Tröger's base polyimides of intrinsic microporosity prepared from ethano-Tröger's base-amine monomers, methods of separating chemical species, and the like.