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Penetrant-induced plasticization in microporous polymer membranes
Katherine Mizrahi Rodriguez1, Sharon Lin2, Albert X Wu2
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Chemical Society Reviews
|January 31, 2024
Summary
Plasticization hinders industrial use of microporous polymers in gas separations. This study analyzes plasticization origins and mitigation strategies for these advanced polymer membranes.
Area of Science:
- Polymer science and engineering
- Materials science
- Chemical engineering
Background:
- Penetrant-induced plasticization is a major challenge limiting the industrial application of polymers in membrane-based gas separations.
- Microporous polymers offer unique structural features and properties but are susceptible to performance deterioration due to plasticization.
- Understanding and mitigating plasticization is crucial for advancing research and development in this field.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an integrated discussion of plasticization theory and gas transport models relevant to microporous polymers.
- To compare existing theories and models with an extensive database of microporous polymer plasticization characteristics.
- To identify correlations between polymer properties and plasticization behavior, and evaluate mitigation strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of seminal plasticization theories and gas transport models.
- Analysis of an exhaustive database of plasticization characteristics of microporous polymers.
- Correlation analysis of polymer properties (e.g., free volume, chemical structure) with plasticization pressures from pure- and mixed-gas permeation tests.
- Evaluation of current strategies for plasticization mitigation.
Main Results:
- Established correlations between specific polymer properties and observed plasticization behavior.
- Identified key factors influencing plasticization onset and severity in microporous polymers.
- Assessed the effectiveness of various approaches to mitigate plasticization in membrane applications.
- Provided a comprehensive overview of plasticization phenomena in the context of advanced polymer materials.
Conclusions:
- A deeper understanding of plasticization mechanisms in microporous polymers is essential for their practical implementation.
- Tailoring polymer structure and employing effective mitigation strategies can overcome plasticization challenges.
- This work provides a foundation for future research aimed at developing robust polymer membranes for gas separations.
