Chemical Engineering Science, Vol.61, No.16, 5448-5454, 2006
Morphology and structure of ABS membranes filled with two different activated carbons
Mixed matrix-composite membranes (MMCM) for gas separation are prepared and characterized in this work. Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer was used for the continuum phase of the membrane filled with two different activated carbons (AC). The so-obtained membranes have been characterized by gas permeability, optical microscopy, electronic microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The membranes have different roughness on both their surfaces but are always recovered by the polymeric material. Better ABS-AC adhesion has been always reached giving high selectivity and permeability for CO2/CH4. Such intimate contact can be attributed to the rubber proper-ties of the butadiene-styrene chains in ABS. The morphological characteristics and the increase in both permeability and selectivity with the volume fraction of the filler are explained in terms of the properties of pure activated carbons. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:gas separation;mixed matrix-composite membranes;activated carbon;membrane materials;membrane characterization