Cardo-type random co-polyimide membranes for high pressure pure and mixed sour gas feed separations

Abstract

A series of aromatic random co-polyimide membranes based on 6FDA-Durene/CARDO backbone with varying content of CARDO moiety (3:1; 1:1 and 1:3) were synthesized for enhanced acid gas separation performance. Gas transport properties of pure and mixed gas streams consisting of H2S, CO2, He, CH4, N2 and C2H6 through the dense films of the co-polyimide were studied. Mixed sweet gas tests were done with feeds containing no H2S up to 55bar, while mixed sour gas measurements were conducted with feeds containing H2S up to 34bar for 10% H2S and 20% H2S. The membranes exhibit very attractive pure gas transport properties, as CO2 permeability and CO2/CH4 selectivity are up to 323 barrer and 35 respectively. Furthermore, the transport properties of sour gas mixture consisting of five gases were also found attractive, as the CO2/CH4 and H2S/CH4 ideal selectivities are in the range of 18–23 and 19–21 respectively; while CO2 and H2S permeabilities are in the range of 38–51 and 40–47 barrers respectively for 20% H2S in the gas mixture. These values and separation performance exhibited by the co-polyimide are comparable and very competitive even, as compared to the values obtained in some of the high performance polymeric membranes that have been reported in the literature. The stability of the random co-polyimide 6FDA-Durene/CARDO membrane under these aggressive environments is quite remarkable.