Enhancing natural gas dehumidification with Pebax/Silica mixed matrix membrane: a comprehensive study

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, a new polymer membrane was developed for natural gas dehumidification using the combination of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in the Pebax polymer matrix. The membranes were characterized using various analytical methods including FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TGA. The results indicated that adding nanoparticles increased the porosity and thermal stability of the membranes. Also, the enhancement of copolymer hydrophilicity was confirmed by reducing contact angles. The study found that increasing the nanoparticle content from 0 w% to 3 w% at 15 bar pressure resulted in a 33% increase in water permeability and a 12% increase in methane permeability. Adding of silica also increased the H2O/CH4 selectivity from 24.17 to 27.34. Moreover, at higher temperatures (from 25 to 55°C), the permeability of H2O and CH4 reached 171.3 and 10.71 bar, respectively. The findings of this study show that the inclusion of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in the Pebax matrix can enhance the efficiency of membranes for natural gas dehumidification. Additionally, the study highlights the significance of temperature in the design and implementation of such membranes.