Vapor Permeability Research Articles

Effect of Crystallization Temperature on the Mechanical and Physical Properties of Solution Cast Polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate/Thermoplastic Starch Films

Starch-based biodegradable films of polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate (PBAT) have been prepared by the solution casting method. The effect of heating at two different temperatures (80 and 110°C) on the mechanical, optical and morphological properties of these films has been evaluated. The two temperatures were selected based on the crystallization and melting temperatures of PBAT. The blend of PBAT with thermoplastic starch has been prepared by melt mixing technique using two roll mills and then the solution casting method has been followed to prepare the films. Apart from curing at room temperature, the films have been cured at 80°C and 110°C. The tensile strength of the films increased by 110% and 252% for films heated to 80°C and 110°C, respectively. As revealed from spectroscopic analysis, the heating of films has no significant effect on the absorption of light by the films in the UV-visible region. The bonding characteristics of the films have been evaluated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The lowest water absorption and vapour permeability have been obtained in films cured at 80°C.

Modification of poly(L-lactic acid)-based films and evaluation of physical and antibacterial properties by using multivariate data analysis

The aim of this study is to prepare new packaging materials with improved physical and antimicrobial properties that prevent the growth of microorganisms. Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) based packaging films were prepared by the solvent-casting method using spruce resin (SR), epoxidized soybean oil, an essential oil mixture (calendula and clove oil), and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The AgNPs were synthesized by the polyphenol reduction method, using spruce resin dissolved in methylene chloride. The prepared films were tested for antibacterial activity and physical properties, such as tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB), elastic modulus (EM), water vapor permeability (WVP), and UV-C blocking effect. The addition of SR decreased the water vapor permeation (WVP) of the films, whereas the addition of essential oils (EOs) increased this property due to their higher polarity. The morphological, thermal, and structural properties were characterized using SEM, UV–Visible spectroscopy, FTIR, and DSC. The agar disc well method showed that SR, AgNPs, and EOs imparted antibacterial activity to the PLA-based films against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Multivariate data analysis tools, such as principal component and hierarchical cluster analysis, were used to discriminate PLA-based films by simultaneously evaluating their physical and antibacterial properties.

Flexible Solution-Processed Electron-Transport-Layer-Free Organic Photovoltaics for Indoor Application

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have unique advantages of low weight, mechanical flexibility, and solution processability, which make them exceptionally suitable for integrating low-power Internet of Things devices. However, achieving improved operational stability together with solution processes that are applicable to large-scale fabrication remains challenging. Their major limitation arises due to the instable factors that occur both inside the thick active film and from the ambient environment, which cannot be completely resolved via the current encapsulation techniques used for flexible OPVs. Additionally, thin active layers are highly vulnerable to point defects, which result in low yield rates and impede the laboratory-to-industry translation. In this study, flexible fully solution-processed OPVs with improved indoor efficiency and long-term operational stability than that of conventional OPVs with evaporated electrodes are achieved. Benefiting from the oxygen and water vapor permeation barrier of the spontaneously formed gallium oxide layers on the exposed eutectic gallium-indium surface, fast degradation of the OPVs with thick active layers is prevented, maintaining 93% of its initial Pmax after 5000 min of indoor operation under 1000 lx light-emitting diode (LED) illumination. Additionally, by using the thick active layer, spin-coated silver nanowires could be directly used as bottom electrodes without complicated flattening processes, thereby substantially simplifying the fabrication process and proposing a promising manufacturing technique for devices with high-throughput energy demands.

Development of an edible active chitosan film loaded with Nigella sativa L. extract to extend the shelf life of grapes

Environmentally friendly approaches such as orientation towards natural products and zero waste, which consumers have started to adopt in recent years, have also started to cause new explores in food packaging. The ability of edible films produced from natural polymers to be functionalized with active ingredients, not generate waste, and be useable as an alternative to traditional food packaging has led us to develop Nigella sativa extract (ethanolic and methanolic) loaded chitosan active edible film. The films were characterized by FTIR, SEM, physical properties, total phenolic content, and total antioxidant capacity, in vitro digestion profiles were examined. The grapes were covered with films and physical changes were examined. The total phenolic content of the ethanolic and methanolic film was 384.73 ± 0.59, and 424.67 ± 14.71 mg GAE/100 g film respectively. The total antioxidant capacity of the ethanolic and methanolic film was 255.85 ± 0.10, 293.72 ± 0.44 mg TE/100 g film respectively. Thickness of ethanolic and methanolic film was 0.30 ± 0.21, 0.36 ± 0.06 mm, solubility 16.84 ± 1.54, 23.22 ± 0.31 (w/w %), moisture ratio 4.45 ± 0.61, 7.58 ± 1.98 (%), swelling ratio 5.65 ± 2.06, 14.74 ± 0.78 (%), water vapor permeation 2.39 ± 1.63, 4.94 ± 4.45 (x10−10g/ms kPa) respectively. FTIR and SEM analysis showed that preparation of the films with Nigella sativa extract did not cause any change in the structure of chitosan. As a result of the observations, it was seen that the uncovered grapes spoilage and the grapes covered with films were not spoilage indicating that the developed films can be used as an alternative to food packaging.

Harnessing plum (Prunus domestica L.) processing wastes for the fabrication of bio-composite edible films: An attempt towards a food circular bioeconomy

This study investigated the effects of different biopolymer matrices on the quality characteristics of edible films produced from plum kernel protein isolate (PKPI), arrowroot starch (ARS), and plum kernel oil (PKO). All eight film-forming matrices produced a self-supporting and peelable film. Among the formulations tested, a composite film containing 50% PKPI, 50% ARS, and 1% PKO (P50S50O) exhibited favourable features, including the highest glass transition temperature and tensile strength, which were 2.05 and 1.59-folds higher than PKPI film, respectively. The composite film (P50S50O) showed a reduced water vapour transmission rate (WVTR), permeance, and water vapour permeability (WVP) indicating a decreased affinity for moisture and an improved tortuosity of the vapour diffusion path. XRD analysis revealed a 55.75% increase in crystallinity, and SEM micrographs showed smoother and more homogeneously entrapped PKO in P50S50O films. Peak shifting in FT-IR spectra confirmed the development of additional cross-linking among various film-forming matrices, which improved the barrier, mechanical, and thermal properties of the composite films, paving the way for the prospective application of plum processing waste in the development of edible films and curbing the environmental pollution of plastics films.

Rapid and persistent bactericidal cotton fabrics finished facilely with reactive N-halamine

Cotton fabrics (CFs) with persistent and rapid bactericidal capability would be of great significance for daily health protection because CFs are very suitable for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. Herein, we developed a reactive N-halamine compound, 3-(3-hydroxypropyl diisocyanate)-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (IPDMH), that can be covalently bound to a CF to generate a bactericidal CF after chlorination (CF-DMF-Cl) without damaging its surface morphology. The antibacterial rates of CF-DMF-Cl (0.5 wt% IPDMH) against the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) and gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) reached 99.99 % and were maintained at 90 % (against E. coli) and 93.5 % (against S. aureus) after 50 laundering cycles. The combination of contact killing and release killing mechanisms by CF-PDM-Cl leads to its rapid and persistent bactericidal activity. In addition, CF-DMF-Cl exhibits adequate biocompatibility, well-maintained mechanical properties, air/water vapor permeability and whiteness. Therefore, the proposed CF-DMF-Cl has great potential applications as a bactericidal CF for use in medical textiles, sportswear, home dressings, and so on.

Pilot‐scale demonstration of novel tandem coating process: Combining dispersion and extrusion coating with enhanced barrier properties

AbstractIncreasing environmental and legislative demands have accelerated the development of new packaging materials and processes toward more sustainable alternatives. Furthermore, barrier properties of the packaging have become increasingly important, as food waste creates environmental problems. Nowadays, multilayer structures are typically used to create required barrier properties to the packages. The aim of the study was to combine dispersion and extrusion coating into consecutive tandem process to produce two‐layer structure with enhanced barrier properties. By combining two processing steps into one, time and resources are saved. The study presents demonstration of the tandem coating in pilot‐scale. The process was tested with several different materials and combinations and the processing conditions were optimized to produce optimal layer structure and properties. The properties of samples were analyzed with microscopy imaging, pinhole measurement and barrier measurements including oxygen, water vapor and grease permeation. Single layer of dispersion coatings could not produce continuous film, but the extrusion coatings filled the pinholes and enabled low permeation values. The permeabilities of the tandem coated structures were promising and generally lower than the sum of two individual layers. Moreover, the tandem coated structures produced with sustainable alternatives, performed better than traditional materials in oxygen and grease permeation measurements.

High-temperature vapor permeation of preferentially b-oriented zeolite MFI membranes fabricated from nanocrystal-containing nanosheets

Zeolite nanosheets can be used to effectively fabricate high-performance separation membranes; however, their direct synthesis is generally complicated, particularly when attempting to achieve an ideal two-dimensional morphology. Nanosheets for structure-type MFI were simply synthesized via the single hydrothermal treatment of nanocrystal seeds, which inevitably resulted in center thickening owing to the presence of the nanocrystal seeds and the formation of adlayers. Nevertheless, the extensive analysis of the morphology of these nanocrystal-containing nanosheets confirmed that their average thicknesses (∼13 nm) and aspect ratios (∼87) were more favorable for membrane fabrication than those of other zeolite MFI materials (e.g., plate-type MFI materials). The zeolite MFI membranes fabricated from the nanocrystal-containing nanosheets exhibited a high flux (1.2 × 10−3 mol·m−2·s−1) and separation factor (795) at high temperatures (250 °C), which were more favorable than those of zeolite MFI membranes fabricated from conventional zeolite MFI materials.

Dual-crosslinked starch−poly(ester urethane)−oligochitosan films with high starch content: Application as biodegradable food packaging

This work offered a dual-crosslinking strategy to prepare starch−poly(ester urethane)−oligochitosan (SPEO) composites with high starch content (> 46 wt%). The crosslinking agent polycaprolactone-based polyurethane prepolymer (PPUP) with terminal −NCO groups and pendant −CHO groups was first synthesized. Then, the starch was modified by PPUP to form a crosslinked structure linked by urethane bonds. Oligochitosan (OCS) was subsequently introduced to produce another crosslinked structure linked by imine bonds, and the films were fabricated by compression molding. The chemical structures and physical performance of SPEO were characterized. Crystallinity, micromorphology and thermal analysis demonstrated that the dual-crosslinking structures enhanced the composite compatibility, which improved their mechanical properties. The surface hydrophilicity, water absorption, and in vitro degradation rate increased slowly with increasing OCS content, while a high crosslinking density provide a good barrier to water vapor permeation and therefore decreased the water vapor permeability (< 128 g/(m2∙24 h)). Due to the residual −NH2 groups of OCS, the composite film of SPEO-6 exhibited certain bacteriostatic activity against E. coli and S. aureus. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the composite films was assayed by the MTT method, and relative growth rates were much higher than 75% after incubation for 72 h, indicating high cytocompatibility and non-toxicity to food. The dual-crosslinked high-starch-content composites possessing high security, superior mechanical properties, good biodegradability, low water vapor permeability, and certain bacteriostatic capacity hold great potential to substitute petroleum-derived plastics for fresh-keeping food packaging applications.

FRCM-to-masonry bonding behaviour in the case of curved surfaces: Experimental investigation

Fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) are composite materials more and more used for the reinforcement of masonry structures. The combination of high tensile strength fabrics (or meshes) with cementitious matrices, having good thixotropic capabilities and vapour permeability, makes such composites suitable for reinforcing a large number of masonry structures, including the one belonging to the historic heritage. FRCMs are bonded to the outer surfaces of structural masonry elements and, thanks to their adhesive capacity, bear much of the tensile stresses that unreinforced masonry cannot withstand. The effectiveness of such reinforcements, which is highly dependent on their ability to adhere to the masonry substrate, is generally investigated throughout specific experimental investigations (shear tests). Almost all the papers in the literature devoted to bond-slip analysis refer to the case of flat bonding surfaces, although these reinforcements are also widely used on curved structural elements such as arches and vaults. Therefore, this paper reports and examines the results of an extensive experimental program concerning the behavior of FRCM systems applied on curved masonry specimens. The results point out the influence of both curvature and reinforcement position (intrados or extrados) on the response of specimens in terms of bearing capacity, failure mode and post-peak response.

Bilayer Films of Poly(lactic acid) and Cottonseed Protein for Packaging Applications

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a common biobased film-former made from renewable biomass, such as polysaccharides from sugarcane, corn, or cassava. It has good physical properties but is relatively expensive when compared to the plastics used for food packaging. In this work, bilayer films were designed, incorporating a PLA layer and a layer of washed cottonseed meal (CSM), an inexpensive agro-based raw material from cotton manufacturing, where the main component is cottonseed protein. These bilayer films were made through the solvent casting method. The combined thickness of the PLA/CSM bilayer film was between 47 and 83 μm. The thickness of the PLA layer in this film was 10%, 30%, or 50% of the total bilayer film's thickness. Mechanical properties of the films, opacity, water vapor permeation, and thermal properties were evaluated. Since PLA and CSM are both agro-based, sustainable, and biodegradable, the bilayer film may be used as an eco-friendlier food packaging material, which helps reduce the environmental problems of plastic waste and microplastics. Moreover, the utilization of cottonseed meal may add value to this cotton byproduct and provide a potential economic benefit to cotton farmers.

Parametric and modelling study of H2O-induced plasticization in PEI-TFC membrane for gas dehydration

Separation of moisture from gaseous mixtures, such as natural gas, humid air in food and goods storage warehouses or in sports halls and so on is of great importance. In this article, the separation of water from a wet gas stream is carried out by a TFC membrane made by interfacial polymerization on the sublayer of porous polyetherimide hollow fibers. Then the key-parameters affecting membrane efficiency is studied. The outcomes show that increasing the concentration of MPD has a substantial effect on enhancing the membrane water vapor flux. Moreover, it is disclose that increasing the concentration of TMC has the greatest effect on reducing nitrogen gas permeability and increasing the selectivity. Our findings reveals that disregarding the very low concentration of water vapor in the feed, shows a great impact on the permeance of each component compared to the pure state. Also, based on the modelling, it is obvious that for nitrogen gas in the entire pressure range, the adsorption mechanism is almost completely controlled by the Henry model, while the Langmuir adsorption mechanism is controlling for water vapor at low pressures, although at high pressures, the Henry mechanism has absolute superiority. Surprisingly, the H2O-induced plasticization impact on nitrogen permeance is more intense than on water vapor permeance. According to the modeling outputs, it is revealed that because D N2 is one to two order of magnitude lower than DH2O, water vapor permeance is much higher than that of nitrogen.

An integrated multi-criteria decision-making framework for the selection of sustainable biodegradable polymer for food packaging applications.

Manifold aspects, such as the booming market for superior quality food items with increased shelf life and the escalating concern to mitigate plastic trash due to plastic packaging have motivated researchers and food industrialists to explore sustainable eco-friendly packaging solutions extensively. Biodegradable polymers are being rigorously investigated to replace conventional plastics that are toxic, non-biodegradable, and detrimental to the marine ecosystem. The scientific methodology for the prudent selection of biodegradable polymer among the frequently used biopolymers for food packaging is being reported here. The data were extracted from the available literature. A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making framework has been developed to address the problem of material selection owing to the multiple conflicting criteria involved. Assignment of equal weights to primary criteria was selected to establish the criteria weights. Different decision-making techniques (weighted sum method (WSM), weighted product method (WPM), weighted aggregated sum product assessment method (WASPAS), and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS)) were used for the comparative analysis. Thereon, the different ranks obtained for each alternative were aggregated using the degree of membership technique. The robustness of the solution was checked using sensitivity analysis which was conducted by varying weights of importance using the entropy method, the CRITIC method, and the equal weights to secondary criteria. The analysis reported polylactic acid (PLA) as the most reliable polymer for food packaging applications. The sensitivity analysis concluded that the solution was without prejudice, and water vapor permeation rating was the most critical decision criterion in deciding the optimal polymer.

Silanization enabled superhydrophobic PTFE membrane with antiwetting and antifouling properties for robust membrane distillation

A superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane (water contact angle 158 ± 5o) was fabricated based on a commercial microporous membrane by surface silanization and fluorination. The engineered PTFE membrane was characterized by various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, a liquid-liquid porometer, water vapor permeation and contact angle measurements. The prepared PTFE membrane showed a slightly decreased average pore size of 0.37 μm, and thus an increased penetrating pressure of 0.38 MPa compared with the pristine commercial membrane. The developed superhydrophobic PTFE membrane had a very low surface energy of 1 mJ/m2, only one third of that of the unmodified commercial membrane. The characterization and membrane distillation (MD) separation results showed that the superhydrophobic PTFE membrane had significantly enhanced antiwetting and antifouling performances compared with the pristine commercial membrane. The developed new PTFE membrane also displayed excellent antifouling, antiwetting and long-term stability during the treatment of real challenging landfill leachate of high salinity and high organics by MD. The fabricated PTFE membrane with simultaneously antiwetting and antifouling properties opens a new avenue for treating challenging waste liquids via MD. This study also provides an important strategy to develop superhydrophobic simultaneously antiwetting and antifouling membranes for stable long-term MD applications.

Microporous Engelhard titanosilicate based polyamide membrane for water vapor dehumidification with excellent chemical resistance to toluene

Herein, we describe microporous Engelhard titanosilicate-4 (ETS-4) based polyamide membranes for water vapor dehumidification. ETS-4 particles have unique properties such as good water affinity, excellent chemical resistance, and size selective or molecular sieve properties (effective pore diameter of ETS-4: 3–4 Å, kinetic diameter of H2O: 2.65 Å, toluene: 5.85 Å). ETS-4 particles were fabricated by a hydrothermal method and ground to obtain a smaller size. The ground particles were dispersed in diethylenetriamine (DETA) solution, followed by interfacial polymerization with trimesoyl chloride (TMC), resulting in thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes. The addition of ETS-4 particles on the outer surface of polysulfone (PSf) hollow fibers resulted in improvement of the hydrophilicity and surface roughness of the membrane. The ETS(0.2) membrane with 0.2 wt% ETS-4 concentration showed the highest selectivity (413) and the highest water vapor permeance (1544 GPU) at 25 °C and relative humidity 60 %. In addition, the toluene removal performance of the best ETS(0.2) membrane was tested and demonstrated a rejection efficiency of ca. 94.7 %. The long term stability of the ETS(0.2) membrane was also measured under toluene gas flow for one month and it was confirmed that the ETS-4 based membrane had excellent chemical stability against toluene.

Enhancement and control of water vapor permeability and thermal conductivity of polymers: A review

AbstractThe water vapor permeability (WVP) and thermal conductivity of polymers are of great significance in personal cooling and even in responding to energy crises. This review attempts to discuss the factors that affecting these two properties at first, and then discusses the relationship between them from the aspects of hydrophilicity, porous structure, biomimetic layered structure, and so on. Generally, porous structure or hydrophilicity is beneficial to water vapor permeation, while dense structure is more conducive to the formation of heat conduction path and network, that is, to heat conduction. Of course, thermal conductive filler is the decisive factor for high thermal conductivity of polymer composites. Interestingly, the transmission process of water vapor also positively affects the heat conduction of polymer to a certain extent. Especially, the biomimetic fiber membrane with multi‐branch network following Murray's law, which integrates high WVP and high thermal conductivity, is one of the development directions of special concern. Finally, the related problems to be solved are put forward and prospected. It is hoped that this review will have positive guiding significance for developing polymer membranes and functional textile coatings with high moisture permeability and high thermal conductivity.

Skin-Interfaced Superhydrophobic Insensible Sweat Sensors for Evaluating Body Thermoregulation and Skin Barrier Functions.

Monitoring sweat rate is vital for estimating sweat loss and accurately measuring biomarkers of interest. Although various optical or electrical sensors have been developed to monitor the sensible sweat rate, the quantification of the insensible sweat rate that is directly related to body thermoregulation and skin barrier functions still remains a challenge. This work introduces a superhydrophobic sweat sensor based on a polyacrylate sodium/MXene composite sandwiched between two superhydrophobic textile layers to continuously measure sweat vapor from insensible sweat with high sensitivity and rapid response. The superhydrophobic textile on a holey thin substrate with reduced stiffness and excellent breathability allows the permeation of sweat vapor, while preventing the sensor from being affected by the external water droplets and internal sensible sweat. Integrating the insensible sweat sensor with a flexible wireless communication and powering module further yields a standalone sensing system to continuously monitor insensible sweat rates at different body locations for diverse application scenarios. Proof-of-concept demonstrations on human subjects showcase the feasibility to continuously evaluate the body's thermoregulation and skin barrier functions for the assessment of thermal comfort, disease conditions, and nervous system activity. The results presented in this work also provide a low-cost device platform to detect other health-relevant biomarkers in the sweat (vapor) as the next-generation sweat sensor for smart healthcare and personalized medicine.

Improved hydroxypropyl methylcellulose films through incorporation of amylose-N-1-hexadecylammonium chloride inclusion complexes

In order to replace petroleum based films used in food packaging, improved biobased options are needed. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) has value, but in terms of oxygen and water vapor permeability it is deficient. Blended films were produced using HPMC and amylose-N-1-hexadecylammonium chloride inclusion complex (HexAM) that required no plasticizer. The resulting blended films were clear, had little color and had increased product value relative to the control. With the addition of the HexAM, the crystallinity of the film increased as seen by x-ray diffraction spectra. By SEM the surfaces of the films were relatively smooth by scanning electron microscopy. However, atomic force microscopy demonstrated that the control films were smoother (roughness 1.2 nm rms), relative to the 50 % HexAM blend films (roughness 29.9 nm rms). In the infrared spectra (IR) certain peaks, such as the hydrated water and glycosidic bond peaks, either increased or decreased in a liner fashion with incorporation of HexAM. Using microscopic IR, it was shown that the surfaces of the films were chemically homogeneous on a 1.56 µm scale. Tensile strength and elongation decreased slightly with increasing HexAM. However, increasing the HexAM provided increased thermal durability as evidenced by a reduction in the loss of modulus with heating. This attribute will have value in the market. The addition of HexAM decreased the permeation of oxygen and water vapor through the films and made the film surface more hydrophobic. These characteristics will resolve deficiencies in HPMC and allow it to enter new markets. In limited testing, the HexAM containing films provided microbial and thermal resistance. For control HPMC films, gas permeability, water sensitivity and poor thermal stability limit the applications of HPMC.

Atmospheric water harvesting in semi-arid regions by membranes: A techno-economic assessment

The availability of a reliable and sufficient amount of water constitutes one of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. The provision of water is still challenging in many regions of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, where the precipitations are rare and there is no access to water bodies. We propose to use a water harvesting device based on high-performance membranes to produce water from air in a decentralized way. The device presents a single membrane stage to increase the purity of water vapor in air and a condenser to produce liquid water. We optimize the operating conditions to bring down the water cost to 3.2 cent/L when the water fraction in air is 3% and 5.0 cent/L when the water fraction is 2%. We also found that the increase of water vapor permeance up to 5 × 104 gas pemeation units is beneficial to cost reduction (between 2.2 and 3.0 cent/L) and that the losses due to concentration polarization can be reduced by designing properly the channel geometry. Finally, we simulated the yearly operation of a device located in a semi-arid region, by taking into account the variation of water vapor concentration in air, and we found attractive values of water cost, below 10 cent/L for most of the year. Thus, the proposed process can give an important contribution to the alleviation of water shortage issue in semi-arid regions. Importantly, it makes membrane-based process attractive for atmospheric water harvesting.

Thermodynamic efficiency of membrane‐assisted distillation processes

AbstractMembrane processes are considered as comparably mild separation processes offering the potential for significant energy savings compared with azeotropic distillation processes. Despite higher investment and material costs, they are of particular interest for improving the energy efficiency in the chemical industry. However, energy savings of more than 20%–30% are rarely reported and even a general superiority can be disputed. To further elucidate this controversial, the current study pursues a quantitative assessment of the thermodynamic efficiency of pervaporation and vapor permeation processes with stand‐alone distillation and hybrid membrane‐assisted distillation processes for the separation of azeotropic mixtures. The results confirm the case‐dependent potential of distillation processes to outperform membrane‐assisted separations in terms of energy efficiency, considering proper heat integration. Although energy efficiency is becoming significantly important, it should be considered in the context of economic performance to determine an optimal trade‐off and to select the best process alternative during conceptual process design.