Synthesis, characterization, and gas separation performances of polysulfone and cellulose acetate-based mixed matrix membranes

Abstract

The combination of polymeric and inorganic fillers inside mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) becomes a hot research topic due to the gas permeability-selectivity trade-off in polymeric membranes. Until recently, the problem of voids hampers the real application of MMMs, hence deep understanding on polymer-particle compatibility is required. This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of polysulfone and cellulose acetate-based MMMs that combined with ZIF-8 and TiO2 particles. ZIF-8 dispersed more uniform than TiO2. The crystallinity of MMMs was higher than pure polymeric membrane. In addition, micro voids in MMMs resulted a slight decrease in CO2/N2 selectivity (from 15 to 12).