Carbon dioxide (CO2) separation from natural gas using single-layer and dual-layer mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs)

Abstract

The present research investigated the utilizing of single and dual-layer flat sheet mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) for carbon dioxide (CO2) separation. In this research, zeolite 4A is incorporated into a processable polymeric material, polyethersulfone (PES) of MMMs to get the high selectivity and permeability of membrane. Single-layer flat sheet MMMs have been successfully fabricated by adjusting the weight percent of zeolite loading in total solid as the effect of zeolite loading on the performance of MMMs were investigated. It shows that the higher the zeolite loadings, the higher the CO2/CH4 selectivity which is from 1.54 at 0wt % zeolite loading to 3.20 at 20wt % zeolite loading. Besides that, dual-layer flat sheet MMMs was also successfully fabricated with blending of PES and zeolite as selective top-layer and neat PES as sub-layer. Comparison of the results of permeability and selectivity between single and dual layer MMMs with same zeolite loading were studied. The performance of these newly developed dual-layer flat sheet of MMMs gives the best result with CO2/CH4 selectivity for dual layer MMMs is 9.63, tripled of the selectivity of single layer MMMs, 3.20