Volume 141, Issue 2 e54801
RESEARCH ARTICLE

A novel ternary mixed-matrix membrane comprising Pebax-1657, [HMIM][NTf2] IL, and Al2O3 nanoparticles for efficient CO2 separation

Reza Mahboubi

Reza Mahboubi

Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, Iran

Contribution: Data curation (equal), Formal analysis (lead), ​Investigation (lead), Software (lead), Writing - original draft (lead)

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Ezzatollah Joudaki

Corresponding Author

Ezzatollah Joudaki

Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, Iran

Correspondence

Ezzatollah Joudaki, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, Iran.

Email: [email protected]

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Resources (lead), Supervision (lead), Validation (equal)

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Reza Mosayebi Behbahani

Reza Mosayebi Behbahani

Gas Engineering Department, Ahvaz Faculty of Petroleum Engineering, Petroleum University of Technology (PUT), Ahvaz, Iran

Contribution: Data curation (equal), Methodology (equal), Project administration (lead)

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Navid Azizi

Navid Azizi

Department of Chemical Engineering, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

Contribution: Conceptualization (lead), Data curation (equal), Formal analysis (equal), ​Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal), Validation (equal), Writing - review & editing (lead)

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First published: 18 October 2023
Citations: 1

Abstract

An innovative technique to efficiently remove CO2 involves introducing a third component with a positive affinity with CO2 into a binary mixed-matrix membrane (MMM) and eliminating interfacial defects in its structure. In this research, novel ternary MMMs (TMMMs) were synthesized by embedding 1–Hexyl–3–methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([HMIM][NTf2]) ionic liquid (IL) and aluminum oxide (γ–Al2O3) nanoparticles into poly (ether-block-amide) (Pebax-1657) matrix for enhancing CO2 removal from light gases. FESEM, DSC, ATR-FTIR, and XRD analyses were used to evaluate the fabricated MMMs structurally. The permeation tests of gases (CH4, N2, and CO2) through prepared membranes were conducted at 25°C and 4, 6, 8, and 10 bar pressures. In accordance with the permeation outcomes, the ternary MMMs exhibited enhanced CO2 separation performances compared to the unloaded polymeric membrane. Also, the optimized MMM comprising 10 wt.% of the IL and 6 wt.% of the nanoparticles obtained a CO2 permeability of 173.90 Barrer, as well as CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 selectivities of 77.98 and 24.29 at 10 bar and 25°C, which are higher by about 51%, 23%, and 22%, respectively than those of the pristine polymeric membrane. Based on these results, the prepared membrane appears to be a promising choice for separating CO2 from light gases.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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