Gas transport in polybutadiene treated with aqueous bromine

Abstract

AbstractDiffusion, solubility, and permebility coefficients were measured for He, Co2, Ar, and CH4 in polybutadiene (PB) and in polybutadiene reacted in the solid state to various extents with aqueous bromine. Analysis of the sorption curves and X‐ray emission spectra showed that the bromination created a heterogeneous membrane with an outer brominated skin and an unreacted core. At relatively low extent of bromination, the diffusion and permeability coefficients for CO2, Ar, and CH4 decreased by two orders of magnitude, while the transport coefficients for He were virtually unchanged. The permeability coefficients for CO2, Ar, and CH4 became immeasurably small after about 3% bromination. The ideal separation factor for gas pairs with different molecular size increased with bromination, suggesting applications in gas separation processes. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.