Transport properties of PVA/PEI/PEG composite membranes: Sorption and permeation characterizations

Abstract

Poly(vinylalcohol)/poly(ethyleneglycol)/poly(ethyleneimine) blend membranes were prepared by solution casting followed by solvent evaporation. The chemical structure of the prepared membranes was analyzed by FTIR and DSC. The sorption behavior as well as the permeabilities of the membranes for pure CO2 and N2 were investigated. The results show that the PVA/PEI/PEG membranes possess a higher permeability of CO2 and a lower permeability of N2. The membrane displays a CO2 permeability of 27 Barrer, and a N2 permeability of 3 Barrer at 25°C and 1 bar. CO2 sorption behavior of the composite membrane, which can be classified as a dual-mode sorption model, and N2 sorption behavior of the copolymeric membrane is in agreement with the Fickian diffusion model. © Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2008.