Polymer Inorganic Clay Composite Gas Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for new polymer inorganic clay composites and articles comprising these composites, particularly those with molecularly self-assembling materials and inorganic clays, that offer improved gas permeability and separation capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A polymer inorganic clay composite is created by dispersing cation-exchanging layered inorganic clays with native or active inorganic cations in a molecularly self-assembling material, where the inorganic clay is exfoliated and optionally exchanged with active cations to enhance its properties, and a process for making this composite is described, which can be used to produce gas permeable membranes for separating water vapor from hydrous gas mixtures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If inorganic clay is dispersed in molecularly self-assembling material to improve gas separation capability, then water vapor permeability increases, but permeability to permeation-resistant gases also increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by treating the inorganic clay particles with surfactants or coupling agents to modify their surface properties. This creates regions with different permeability characteristics - the treated clay surfaces selectively interact with water vapor molecules while maintaining resistance to other gases, thereby achieving selective permeability rather than uniform permeation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining molecularly self-assembling polymer matrices with surface-modified inorganic clay fillers. This composite structure leverages the self-assembling properties of the polymer for selective molecular recognition while the modified clay provides structural support and additional selective pathways, achieving enhanced gas separation performance
2Productivity
If weight percent of inorganic clay is increased to enhance water vapor permeability, then gas separation efficiency improves, but mechanical strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by systematically optimizing the weight percent of inorganic clay within specific ranges (typically 5-50 wt%) and adjusting related parameters such as particle size distribution, surface treatment concentration, and processing temperature. This optimization identifies the maximum clay loading that maintains both high gas separation efficiency and adequate mechanical strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces surfactants, coupling agents, or surface treatments as intermediary substances between the inorganic clay particles and the polymer matrix. These intermediaries improve the interfacial adhesion and stress transfer, allowing higher clay loadings to be incorporated without proportionally reducing mechanical strength, thereby enabling enhanced gas separation performance with acceptable structural integrity
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 composite exhibits decreasing permeability to permeation-resistant gases and increasing permeability to water vapor as the weight percent of inorganic clay increases, effectively separating water vapor from gas mixtures, demonstrating improved gas separation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the inorganic clay comprises a cation exchanging layered material and inorganic cations, the cation exchanging layered material having a cation exchanging capacity
Implementation Method 2
contacting a hydrous gas mixture comprising water vapor and a permeation-resistant gas to the entrance face of the gas permeable material; and removing from the exit (downstream) face of the gas permeable material a first permeant gas containing a first amount of at least some of the water vapor
Data Source
AI summary
The instant invention generally provides polymer inorganic clay composite comprising a molecularly self-assembling material and an inorganic clay, and a process of making and an article comprising the polymer inorganic clay composite.