Novel Mixed-Matrix Pervaporation Membrane Based on Polyether Block Amide Modified with Ho-Based Metal-Organic...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Separation Technology

Background:

• Segmented polymers like polyether block amide (PEBA) offer unique properties for industrial applications.
• Membrane technology is crucial for efficient separation processes.
• Pervaporation is a key technique for separating liquid mixtures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop enhanced polyether block amide (PEBA) membranes using a holmium-based metal-organic framework (Ho-1,3,5-H3btc) for pervaporation.
• To investigate the impact of Ho-1,3,5-H3btc content and substrate choice on membrane performance.
• To optimize membranes for water/isopropanol and water/phenol mixture separation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of dense and supported PEBA/Ho-1,3,5-H3btc membranes.
• Characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy.
• Evaluation of membrane properties through swelling measurements and pervaporation experiments.

Main Results:

• The supported membrane with 5 wt.% Ho-1,3,5-H3btc on a PVDF-s substrate demonstrated optimal performance.
• Achieved a permeation flux of 1040 g/(m²h) and a separation factor of 5.2 for water/phenol separation at 50 °C.
• Performance was linked to optimized roughness, swelling degree, and selective layer thickness.

Conclusions:

• Incorporating Ho-1,3,5-H3btc into PEBA membranes significantly enhances pervaporation performance.
• Developed membranes show high potential for efficient separation of water/phenol mixtures.
• The study provides insights into designing high-performance membranes for specific separation tasks.