Gas Separation Membrane with Low Molecular Weight Polyamine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas separation membranes face challenges in achieving high permeation rates and separation factors due to difficulties in forming thin separation layers on porous supports without defects, as the gas-separating polymer often penetrates into the support, leading to inadequate gas separation performance.
Innovation Solution
A gas separation membrane is developed with a polyamine layer on a porous support, where the polyamine is suitably impregnated into the support, its molecular weight is lowered, and chemically modified to prevent penetration, resulting in a thin, defect-free layer with a crosslinked structure, enhancing permeability and separation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the separation layer is made thinner to increase permeation rate, then the permeation rate improves, but the separation layer becomes prone to defects and penetration into the support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of the polyamine from high (conventional) to low (10,000-100,000), enabling the formation of thin separation layers (1-10 μm) without defects. This parameter change allows the polymer to form continuous, defect-free membranes at reduced thickness, simultaneously achieving high permeation rates while maintaining structural integrity and preventing penetration into the support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure consisting of a porous support and a polyamine separation layer formed thereon. The porous support provides mechanical strength while the thin polyamine layer (1-10 μm) provides separation functionality. This composite approach allows the separation layer to be made extremely thin without compromising overall membrane integrity, as the support bears the mechanical load.
2Productivity
If the separation layer is made thinner to improve permeation rate, then the permeation rate increases, but the separation factor deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of the polyamine to a specific range (10,000-100,000), which optimizes both permeation rate and separation factor. This parameter optimization enables the thin separation layer to maintain sufficient separation performance while achieving high permeation rates, resolving the trade-off between productivity and measurement precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional high molecular weight polyamine is used, then the separation layer can be formed, but the polymer penetrates into the porous support causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the molecular weight parameter of the polyamine from conventional high values to 10,000-100,000. This parameter change prevents penetration into the porous support while enabling formation of uniform thin layers (1-10 μm) with controlled thickness, simultaneously improving ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.
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 membrane achieves high permeation rates and separation performance for olefins, with a permeation rate of 15 GPU to 1,500 GPU and a separation factor of 50 to 1,000 for propylene/propane, demonstrating improved gas separation capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
allowing a portion of the gas-separating polymer to suitably impregnate the porous support when forming the separation layer on the porous support
Implementation Method 2
chemically modifying a side chain of the gas-separating polymer
Implementation Method 3
the number-average molecular weight of the polyamine composing the polyamine layer is 100,000 to 500,000
Implementation Method 4
Separation factor is expressed as the ratio of the permeation rates of the two types of gases to be separated
Data Source
AI summary
A gas separation membrane, characterized by having a porous support and a polyamine layer formed on the porous support, the number-average molecular weight of the polyamine constituting a part of the polyamine being 100,000-500,000.