Polymer/Nano-clay Mixed Matrix Membranes For CO₂/N₂ Efficient Separation

Carbon dioxide capture and storage（CCS）is considered an important strategy for accomplishing CO₂ emission reduction targets globally.Mixed matrix membranes（MMMs）attracted tremendous attention in the recent years,due to their phenomenal gas separation performance.MMMs are fabricated conventionally by integrating conventional inorganic nanoparticles to a polymer matrix,and their performance and morphology depend on diverse dynamics but the inorganic filler nanoparticles compatibility with polymer and symmetrical dispersion is the momentous challenge.Accordingly,the usage of nano-clays as emphasizing agents in organic polymer matrix can be vital for the MMMs optimal performance using most favorable solvent.The present research work purpose is to investigate the outcome of MMMs for CO₂/N₂ separation using Nano-clay fillers attapulgite and sepiolite.Investigated solvents NMP and DMF effect on Pebax-1657/ATP MMMs texture,permeation execution and nanoparticles dispersion,for the separation of CO₂/N₂,Pebax-1657/attapulgite MMMs fabricated（ATP filler wt.%:2,3,5）adopting solution casting method.Similarly Pebax-1657/Sepiolite MMMs were fabricated using sepiolite-clay filler different wt.%loadings.Cross-sectional SEM investigations,Fourier transform infrared（FTIR）spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction（XRD）analyses were also performed for membranes characterization.Pebax-1657/ATP MMMs single gas permeation experiments results showed that membranes prepared with NMP solvent displayed better perm-selectivity values.Moreover,for the Pebax-1657/Sepiolite MMMs fabricated with NMP solvent（Sepiolite=4wt%,P=3bar and T=40°C）,CO₂permeability 170.0 and CO₂/N₂ selectivity 67.91 results were decent as compare to Pebax-1657/ATP MMMs.Additionally,low temperature permeation tests were carried out for Pebax-1657/ATP（3 wt.%filler）and Pebax-1657/Sepiolite（4 wt.%）causing selectivity increase with permeability reduction.Referring to carbon dioxide capture and storage（CCS）significance in the modern world and inorganic filler nanoparticles symmetrical dispersion challenges in MMMs,this research work deliver a potentially encouraging alternative for filler optimum dispersion and CO₂ separation from N₂.