Carbon dioxide is an undesirable component of natural gas that decreases its energy content, reduces transporting capacity of pipelines, and in presence of water forms acid that corrodes the steel tubes. Membrane-based technologies enabling removal of carbon dioxide from natural gas are simple to operate and promise high separation efficiency while being less capital and energy intensive. In order to make membranes a cost-effective substitute, their preparation has to be simple and scalable. We have developed straightforward single step process affording submicrometer thin polyaniline layers deposited onto porous polypropylene support. We focused on the preparation of defect-free membranes with controlled thickness produced by precipitation, dispersion, and emulsion polymerization of aniline in situ. Subsequent photografting and modification of the polyaniline with diamines afforded membranes exhibiting a CO2/CH4 selectivity of up to 440 and a permeability of 3,400 barrer, values that are significantly better than those published for other membranes.

Polaniline based membranes for separation of carbon dioxide and methane

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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