Factors for improving the performance of the separation membranes prepared by the blending of polyvinyl alcohol and a water absorbing agent

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigated different factors to improve the separation performance of membranes composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and a water absorbing agent. The effects of the compositional differences and additive addition to the prepared membranes on the separation performance were evaluated for the separation of CO2 and He at Ptotal values of 0.1 and 0.7 MPa at 60°C and 85°C, respectively. The compatibility of the additives and resistance to heat and pressure of the employed membrane materials contributed to the separation performance. Specifically, at 60°C, compared with the membrane without additives, the separation performance of the membrane containing the additives improved. In addition, the separation performance of the membrane prepared with a higher proportion of the water absorbing agent was better than that of the membrane with a greater proportion of PVA. This trend was not observed for the experiments at 85°C. Thus, basis the results of these experiments, the factors for improving the separation performance of membranes based on PVA and the water absorbing agent were identified.