MIXED MATRIX MEMBRANES CONTAINING MOLECULAR SIEVES WITH THIN PLATE MORPHOLOGY

摘要

THE PRESENT INVENTION DISCLOSES MIXED MATRIX MEMBRANES (MMMS) COMPRISING A POLYMER MATRIX AND MOLECULAR SIEVE PARTICLES AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING THESE MEMBRANES. THE MOLECULAR SIEVE PARTICLES CONTAIN MICROPORES OR MESOPORES AND EXHIBIT A THIN PLATE MORPHOLOGY WITH HIGH ASPECT RATIO AND THE PLATE THICKNESS NO MORE THAN 300 NM. THIS INVENTION ALSO PERTAINS TO CONTROLLING THE ALIGNMENT OF THE THIN PLATE MOLECULAR SIEVE PARTICLES IN THE CONTINUOUS POLYMER MATRIX OF THE THIN DENSE SELECTIVE LAYER OF THE ASYMMETRIC MIXED MATRIX MEMBRANES. THESE MMMS EXHIBITED MUCH HIGHER SELECTIVITY IMPROVEMENT THAN THOSE COMPRISING MOLECULAR SIEVE PARTICLES WITH OTHER KINDS OF MORPHOLOGY FOR GAS SEPARATIONS SUCH AS CO2/CH4 AND H2/CH4 SEPARATIONS. THE THIN PLATE MORPHOLOGY OF MOLECULAR SIEVES IS BENEFICIAL TO MAKE HIGH PERFORMANCE MIXED MATRIX MEMBRANES. THE MMMS ARE SUITABLE FOR A VARIETY OF LIQUID, GAS, AND VAPOR SEPARATIONS.