H2-Selective Carbon Membranes Prepared from Furfuryl Alcohol by Vapor-Phase Synthesis

Abstract

Microporous carbon membranes were prepared by a vapor-phase synthesis using furfuryl alcohol (FFA). An α-alumina support was coated with a sulfonic acid solution and then exposed to an FFA vapor at 180 °C in a closed vessel. The deposited FFA polymer was carbonized under a N2 atmosphere. Under carbonization at elevated temperature (200−500 °C), micropores larger than 0.33 nm were generated. The pores shrunk at higher temperatures of 600−1000 °C. The pore size of the membrane carbonized at 800 °C is thought to be about 0.30 nm according to the gas permeation results. The FFA carbon membrane showed high separation factors for H2/CO2 (>22 900 at 150 °C), H2/N2 (>2480 at 150 °C), and H2/CO (>2510 at 150 °C) binary gas mixtures.