Premium
Effect of copolymer composition on the solubility and diffusivity of water and methanol in a series of polyether amides
Author(s) -
Rezac Mary E.,
John Tilo,
Pfromm Peter H.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19970906)65:10<1983::aid-app16>3.0.co;2-y
Subject(s) - copolymer , methanol , solubility , thermal diffusivity , materials science , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , polydimethylsiloxane , hildebrand solubility parameter , sorption , penetrant (biochemical) , organic chemistry , chemistry , polymer , thermodynamics , composite material , physics , adsorption , engineering
Sorption and diffusion of water and methanol in polydimethylsiloxane and a series of PEBAX™ copolymers (polyether block amide copolymers) were measured over a wide range of activities near room temperature. The goal was to identify a membrane material for separation of the hazardous air pollutant methanol from wet air streams in the pulp and paper industry. The PEBAX™ copolymer series used here allows a unique insight into transport of small molecules, because solubilities are virtually constant, while diffusion coefficients vary. This is due to the similar chemical structure, but different chain mobility of the homopolymers. The grade PEBAX™ 2533 is most promising for the separation process due to high solubility and diffusivity. The unwanted simultaneous highly selective separation of methanol and water from the targeted air/vapor streams will be addressed in future work. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 65: 1983–1993, 1997