DOI: 10.1126/science.1069580. Ultrapermeable, Reverse-Selective Nanocomposite Membranes

Ultrapermeable, Reverse-Selective Nanocomposite Membranes

10.1126/science.1069580

Crossref journal-article

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Science (221)

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites continue to receive tremendous attention for application in areas such as microelectronics, organic batteries, optics, and catalysis. We have discovered that physical dispersion of nonporous, nanoscale, fumed silica particles in glassy amorphous poly(4-methyl-2-pentyne) simultaneously and surprisingly enhances both membrane permeability and selectivity for large organic molecules over small permanent gases. These highly unusual property enhancements, in contrast to results obtained in conventional filled polymer systems, reflect fumed silica–induced disruption of polymer chain packing and an accompanying subtle increase in the size of free volume elements through which molecular transport occurs, as discerned by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. Such nanoscale hybridization represents an innovative means to tune the separation properties of glassy polymeric media through systematic manipulation of molecular packing.

Bibliography

Merkel, T. C., Freeman, B. D., Spontak, R. J., He, Z., Pinnau, I., Meakin, P., & Hill, A. J. (2002). Ultrapermeable, Reverse-Selective Nanocomposite Membranes. Science, 296(5567), 519â522.

Authors 7

T. C. Merkel (first)
B. D. Freeman (additional)
R. J. Spontak (additional)
Z. He (additional)
I. Pinnau (additional)
P. Meakin (additional)
A. J. Hill (additional)

References 27 Referenced 964

10.1038/35044035
10.1038/28818
10.1126/science.220.4595.365
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10.1021/ja983559w
G. Schmid Ed. Clusters and Colloids (Wiley Weinheim Germany 1994). (10.1002/9783527616077)
S. N. Sidorov et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123 10502 (2001). (10.1021/ja0107834)
10.1126/science.285.5435.1902
10.1016/0376-7388(91)80060-J
10.1021/ma9814548
S. Kulprathipanja R. W. Neuzil N. Li U.S. Patent 4 740 219 (1988).
10.1016/S0376-7388(00)80684-5
R. Mahajan C. M. Zimmerman W. J. Koros in Polymer Membranes for Gas and Vapor Separation: Chemistry and Materials Science B. D. Freeman I. Pinnau Eds. (American Chemical Society Washington DC 1999) pp. 277–286. (10.1021/bk-1999-0733.ch020)
10.1080/14786446608644207
Freeman B. D., Pinnau I., Trends Polym. Sci. 5, 167 (1997). / Trends Polym. Sci. by Freeman B. D. (1997)
10.1016/S0376-7388(96)00183-4
I. Pinnau Z. He U.S. Patent 6 316 684 (2001). (10.1016/S0375-9474(01)00426-2)
10.1021/ma000551
M. H. Cohen D. Turnbull J. Chem. Phys. 3 1 1164 (1959). (10.1063/1.1730566)
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C. Maxwell Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism (Oxford Univ. Press London 1873) vol. 1.
Barrer R. M., Barrie J. A., Rogers M. G., J. Polym. Sci. Part A 1, 2565 (1963). / J. Polym. Sci. Part A by Barrer R. M. (1963)
The results presented in Figs. 1 and 2 were highly reproducible. Using a wide variety of gases we measured the properties of many films as functions of pressure and the number of pressurization and depressurization cycles. Permeability and selectivity did not depend on the number of pressurization and depressurization cycles. Sample-to-sample variability was always within the typical range of experimental uncertainty (±7% for permeability ±5% solubility and ±15% for diffusivity).
The results in Fig. 2 for films were validated in state-of-the-art thin film composite membranes prepared from mixtures of PMP and fumed silica and these thin film composite membranes were used to successfully prepare 1-square-meter pilot-scale spiral wound modules.
10.1016/0032-3861(94)90934-2
10.1016/0376-7388(96)00041-5
Funded by NSF (grants DMI-9901788 and CTS-9803225) and the U.S. Department of Energy (grant DE-FG02-99ER14991).

Dates

Type	When
Created	23 years ago (July 27, 2002, 5:54 a.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 9, 2024, 10:37 p.m.)
Indexed	3 days, 14 hours ago (Aug. 22, 2025, 12:45 a.m.)
Issued	23 years, 4 months ago (April 19, 2002)
Published	23 years, 4 months ago (April 19, 2002)
Published Print	23 years, 4 months ago (April 19, 2002)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Merkel_2002, title={Ultrapermeable, Reverse-Selective Nanocomposite Membranes}, volume={296}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1069580}, DOI={10.1126/science.1069580}, number={5567}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={Merkel, T. C. and Freeman, B. D. and Spontak, R. J. and He, Z. and Pinnau, I. and Meakin, P. and Hill, A. J.}, year={2002}, month=apr, pages={519–522} }

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