Modeling of the sorption and transport properties of water vapor in polyimide membranes

Abstract

The presence of water vapor in a membrane gas separation system is known to cause plasticization and/or competitive sorption with other gas species. Using appropriate mathematical models to interpret such a multi-component system is of considerable practical importance. In an earlier publication, we reported the permeation properties of water vapor and its impact on the membrane performance for two polyimides; 2,2'-bis(3,4'-dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydrid-2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (6FDA-TMPDA) and poly(3,3'-4, 4'-benzophenone tetracarboxylic-dianhydride diaminophenylindane) (Matrimid ® 5218) under mixed gas/water vapor feed streams (CH 4, CO 2 and H 2O). In this ..