Effect of Support on Gas Transport Properties of PTMSP/UFFK and PTMSP/MFFK-1 Composite Membranes

Abstract

Gas transport characteristics have been studied for composite membranes with a selective layer of the highly permeable glassy polymer poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) supported on Vladipor UFFK and MFFK-1 ultrafiltration and microfiltration membranes. A modified resistance model based on the assumption of the mutual influence of the support and the selective layer on the gas transport characteristics of the composite membrane is proposed, which takes into account the penetration of PTMSP into substrate pores. A linear equation of gas transport through a composite membrane for a number of gases (N₂, O₂, CO₂) has been obtained. It has been shown that the permeability of the supports decreases when PTMSP is applied onto them, whereas the permeability of PTMSP atop the support remains almost unchanged. The equation derived in this study can be used to analyze gas transport through composite membranes with other types of supports.