Preparation and Characterization of (PVC-Blend-SBR) Mixed Matrix Gas Separation Membrane Filled with Zeolite

Polyvinylchloride (PVC)/Styrene-Butadiene-Rubber (SBR) (PVC:SBR, (95:5) (w/w)) blend gas separation membrane filled with zeolite was prepared by solution-casting method using tetrahydrofuran (THF) as solvent. Zeolite was also applied as inorganic filler additive in membrane preparation. The zeolite loading and pressure effects on the gas separation performance of the membranes were studied for pure He, N2, CH4, CO2 gases. The obtained results indicated that permeability was increased and (CO2/N2), (CO2/CH4) and (N2/CH4) selectivities all were decreased by the increase of zeolite loading ratio. Moreover, it was found that increase of feed pressure led to an increase in membrane gas permeability for all of prepared membranes. Results showed that the (CO2/N2) and (CO2/CH4) gas pair selectivities were decreased by the increase in feed pressure for all prepared membranes. Conversely, opposite trend was found for (N2/CH4) selectivity at 50 wt} zeolite loading ratio. The (N2/CH4) selectivity was improved from 1.41 to 2.33 by increase in pressure force from 2 to 8 bar. Differential scanning calorimetry was also utilized for the membrane thermal stability investigation. The results showed the glass temperature (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) obviously were improved from 340.1 to 467.1 K and from 359.5 to 516.9 K, respectively, by the increase in zeolite loading ratio from 0 to 50 % wt in prepared membranes.