Efficient CO<sub>2</sub>/CH<sub>4</sub> Separation Using Polysulfone/NH<sub>2</sub>-MIL-125(Ti) Mixed Matrix Membranes
Mustafa Alsaady, Sharjeel Waqas, Muhammad Hamad Zeeshan, Mohammed A. Almarshoud, Khuram Maqsood, Ayman Abdulrahman, Yuying Yan
Abstract
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This study investigates the fabrication and optimization of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) composed of NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti), a metal–organic framework (MOF), dispersed within a polysulfone (PSf) polymer matrix, for efficient CO 2 /CH 4 separation. The MMMs were prepared by using a solution casting method, and their morphology and gas separation performance were systematically characterized. The effect of MOF addition into the polymer matrix, gas permeability, and selectivity were evaluated using a gas permeation setup. Results indicate that incorporating NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti) nanoparticles enhances the selectivity of the membranes for CO 2 over CH 4 compared to pure polymer membranes while maintaining acceptable permeability. The membrane morphology demonstrates the uniform distribution of the filler in the polymer matrix. The PSf/NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti)-15% membrane showed exceptional CO 2 permeability and selectivity performance. Specifically, it achieved a CO 2 permeability of 19.17 Barrer. Additionally, it exhibited a CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity of 31.95, indicating its ability to effectively differentiate between the CO 2 and CH 4 gases, which is critical for applications such as natural gas purification and carbon capture. Furthermore, the MMMs produced in this study showed outstanding resistance to CO 2 plasticization. The PSf/NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti)-15% membrane demonstrated superior pressure resistance, withstanding up to 14 bar without significant performance degradation compared to the pristine PSf membrane, which succumbed to plasticization at 4 bar. The enhanced plasticization resistance is attributed to incorporation of NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti) into the PSf matrix. The combination of high CO 2 permeability, excellent selectivity, and robust plasticization resistance positions the PSf/NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti)-15% membrane as a highly effective solution for CO 2 separation applications. The results underscore the potential of these MMMs to achieve significantly better performance metrics than traditional PSf membranes, making them a promising option for industrial gas separation processes.