THIN FILM COMPOSITE MEMBRANES FOR SEPARATION OF ALKENES FROM ALKANES

• US 20180111098A1
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Published: 04/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compact Membrane Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Compact Membrane Systems Inc.
• Inventors: MAJUMDAR, SUDIPTO, FEIRING, ANDREW EDWARD, SHANGGUAN, NING, KOIZUMI, YOSUKE
• Granted Patent: US 10,399,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/20 Specific permeability or cut-off range
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/228 characterised by specific membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/02 characterised by their properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/1216 Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/32 containing fluorine atoms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/34 Polyvinylidene fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/76 Macromolecular material not specifically provided for in a single one of groups B01D71/08 - B01D71/74 rubbers in general B01D71/24
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/82 characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. introduced by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/70 Other properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/732 Dimensional properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/205 the fillers creating voids or cavities, e.g. by stretching
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/28 comprising synthetic resins not wholly covered by any one of the sub-groups B32B27/30 - B32B27/42
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/286 comprising polysulphones; polysulfides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/322 comprising halogenated polyolefins, e.g. PTFE
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/26 characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids foam layer B32B5/18; layer of synthetic resin characterised by fillers that create voids or cavities B32B27/205; characterised by an apertured layer
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 11/06 Propene
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 7/144 using membranes, e.g. selective permeation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 214/20 Vinyl fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 214/202 : with fluorinated vinyl ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 214/262 : with fluorinated vinyl ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 216/1408 : Monomers containing halogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 216/1466 : Monomers containing sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 216/1475 : Monomers containing sulfur and oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/34 : Per-compounds with one peroxy-radical
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/10 : only aromatic carbon atoms, e.g. polyphenylenes
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/28 : Nitrogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 129/10 : Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated ethers C09D135/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Composite membranes comprised of at least two layers, one of the layers being a silver ionomer and a second layer which is a fluorinated polymer with certain permeability properties, are especially useful for the separation of alkanes from alkenes, Particularly useful is a three-layer composite membrane in which a porous layer is laminated to the second layer.

Claims

1. A thin film composite membrane for the separation of alkanes from alkenes, comprising:

(a) a separation layer comprising a silver ionomer of a polymeric sulfonic acid; and

(b) a high diffusion rate layer, which is nonporous, of one or more fluorinated polymers having a permeance to nitrogen of at least about 250 GPU, and wherein said separation layer and said high diffusion rate layer are laminated to each other.

2. The thin film composite membrane of claim 1 wherein said silver ionomer is a fluorinated polymer.

3. The thin film composite membrane of claim 1 wherein said silver ionomer is a perfluoropolymer.

4. The thin film composite membrane of claim 1 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is a fluorinated polymer wherein about 50% or more of the total of the carbon fluorine groups and carbon-hydrogen groups are carbon fluorine groups.

5. The thin film composite membrane of claim 1 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluoropolymer.

6. The thin film composite membrane of claim 1 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluorocopolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole).

7. The thin film composite membrane of claim 1 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a copolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole) and tetrafluoroethylene.

8. The thin film composite membrane of claim 1 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

9. The thin film composite membrane of claim 1 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

10. The thin film composite membrane of claim 4 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

11. The thin film composite membrane of claim 5 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

12. The thin film composite membrane of claim 6 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

13. The thin film composite membrane of claim 7 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

14. The thin film composite membrane of claim 13 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

25. The thin film composite membrane of claim 2 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is a fluorinated polymer wherein about 50% or more of the total of the carbon fluorine groups and carbon-hydrogen groups are carbon fluorine groups.

26. The thin film composite membrane of claim 3 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is a fluorinated polymer wherein about 50% or more of the total of the carbon fluorine groups and carbon-hydrogen groups are carbon fluorine groups.

27. The thin film composite membrane of claim 2 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluoropolymer.

28. The thin film composite membrane of claim 3 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluoropolymer.

29. The thin film composite membrane of claim 2 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluorocopolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole).

30. The thin film composite membrane of claim 3 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluorocopolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole).

31. The thin film composite membrane of claim 2 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a copolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole) and tetrafluoroethylene.

32. The thin film composite membrane of claim 3 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a copolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole) and tetrafluoroethylene.

33. The thin film composite membrane of claim 2 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

34. The thin film composite membrane of claim 3 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

35. The thin film composite membrane of claim 2 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

36. The thin film composite membrane of claim 3 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

15. A membrane process for the separation of alkanes from alkenes, wherein the improvement comprises, using a thin film composite membrane, comprising:

(a) a separation layer comprising a silver ionomer of a polymeric sulfonic acid; and

(b) a high diffusion rate layer, which is nonporous, of one or more fluorinated polymers having a permeance to nitrogen of at least about 250 GPU, and wherein said separation layer and said high diffusion rate layer are laminated to each other.

16. The membrane process of claim 15 wherein said silver ionomer is a fluorinated polymer.

17. The membrane process of claim 15 wherein said silver ionomer is a perfluoropolymer.

18. The membrane process of claim 15 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

20. The membrane process of claim 15 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluoropolymer.

21. The membrane process of claim 15 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluorocopolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole).

22. The membrane process of claim 21 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a copolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole). and tetrafluoroethylene.

23. The membrane process of claim 15 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

24. The membrane process of claim 21 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

37. The membrane process of claim 16 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer.

38. The membrane process of claim 17 additionally comprising a porous layer which is laminated to said high diffusion rate layer

39. The membrane process of claim 16 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is a fluorinated polymer wherein about 50% or more of the total of the carbon fluorine groups and carbon-hydrogen groups are carbon fluorine groups.

40. The membrane process of claim 17 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is a fluorinated polymer wherein about 50% or more of the total of the carbon fluorine groups and carbon-hydrogen groups are carbon fluorine groups.

41. The membrane process of claim 18 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is a fluorinated polymer wherein about 50% or more of the total of the carbon fluorine groups and carbon-hydrogen groups are carbon fluorine groups.

42. The membrane process of claim 16 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluoropolymer.

43. The membrane process of claim 17 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluoropolymer.

44. The membrane process of claim 18 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluoropolymer.

45. The membrane process of claim 16 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluorocopolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole).

46. The membrane process of claim 17 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluorocopolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole).

47. The membrane process of claim 18 wherein said high diffusion rate layer fluorinated polymer is a perfluorocopolymer of perfluoro(2,2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dioxole).

48. The membrane process of claim 16 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

49. The membrane process of claim 17 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

50. The membrane process of claim 18 wherein said high diffusion rate layer is about 0.1 to about 1.0 μ

m thick.

19. The membrane process of claim wherein said high diffusion rate layer is a fluorinated polymer wherein about 50% or more of the total of the carbon fluorine groups and carbon-hydrogen groups are carbon fluorine groups.