Functional Permeation

The selectivity of pervaporation membranes varies considerably and has a critical effect on the overall separation obtained. The range of results that can be obtained for the same solutions and different membranes is illustrated in Figure 41 for the separation of acetone from water using two types of membrane (89). The figure shows the concentration of acetone in the permeate as a function of the concentration in the feed. The two membranes shown have dramatically different properties. The siUcone mbber membrane removes acetone selectively, whereas the cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membrane removes water selectively. This difference occurs because siUcone mbber is hydrophobic and mbbery, thus permeates the acetone preferentially. PVA, on the other hand, is hydrophilic and glassy, thus permeates the small hydrophilic water molecules preferentially. 

Relatively unambiguous monotonic SARs also occur where activity depends on the ionization of a particular functional group. A classic example (Fig. 5) is that of the antibacterial sulfonamides where activity is exerted by competitive inhibition of the incorporation of j -amin ohenzoic acid into foHc acid (27). The beU-shaped relationship is consistent with the sulfonamide acting as the anion but permeating into the cell as the neutral species. 

Using this simplified model, CP simulations can be performed easily as a function of solution and such operating variables as pressure, temperature, and flow rate, usiag software packages such as Mathcad. Solution of the CP equation (eq. 8) along with the solution—diffusion transport equations (eqs. 5 and 6) allow the prediction of CP, rejection, and permeate flux as a function of the Reynolds number, Ke. To faciUtate these calculations, the foUowiag data and correlations can be used (/) for mass-transfer correlation, the Sherwood number, Sb, is defined as Sh = 0.04 S c , where Sc is the Schmidt... 

A crystalline or semicrystalline state in polymers can be induced by thermal changes from a melt or from a glass, by strain, by organic vapors, or by Hquid solvents (40). Polymer crystallization can also be induced by compressed (or supercritical) gases, such as CO2 (41). The plasticization of a polymer by CO2 can increase the polymer segmental motions so that crystallization is kinetically possible. Because the amount of gas (or fluid) sorbed into the polymer is a dkect function of the pressure, the rate and extent of crystallization may be controUed by controlling the supercritical fluid pressure. As a result of this abiHty to induce crystallization, a history effect may be introduced into polymers. This can be an important consideration for polymer processing and gas permeation membranes. 

The original Polacolot negative had water-coated intedayers of gelatin (60). The SX-70 and Polacolot 2 negatives use as intedayers a combination of a polymeric latex with a water-soluble polymer. A key development was the constmction of lattices that function as temporary batnets, reducing interimage problems. The water-soluble polymer functions as a permeator, so that the harder properties ate tunable (61). 

Equation (22-106) gives a permeate concentration as a function of the feed concentration at a stage cut, 0 = 0, To calculate permeate composition as a function of 0, the equation may be used iteratively if the permeate is unmixed, such as would apply in a test cell. The calculation for real devices must take into account the fact that the driving force is variable due to changes on both sides of the membrane, as partial pressure is a point function, nowhere constant. Using the same caveat, permeation rates may be calciilated component by component using Eq. (22-98) and permeance values. For any real device, both concentration and permeation require iterative calculations dependent on module geometiy. 

Pressure ratio () is quite important, but transmembrane AP matters as well. Consider the case of a vacuum permeate ( = 00) The membrane area will be an inverse function of P influences separation and area, transmembrane AP influences area. 

Membrane Pervaporation Since 1987, membrane pei vapora-tion has become widely accepted in the CPI as an effective means of separation and recovery of liquid-phase process streams. It is most commonly used to dehydrate hquid hydrocarbons to yield a high-purity ethanol, isopropanol, and ethylene glycol product. The method basically consists of a selec tively-permeable membrane layer separating a liquid feed stream and a gas phase permeate stream as shown in Fig. 25-19. The permeation rate and selectivity is governed bv the physicochemical composition of the membrane. Pei vaporation differs From reverse osmosis systems in that the permeate rate is not a function of osmotic pressure, since the permeate is maintained at saturation pressure (Ref. 24). 

Corrosion-inhibiting primers based on this technology have been in continuous service since they were first utilized with nitrile epoxies in the late 1960s. These inhibitors function by passivating the aluminum. In this process, water permeating the adhesive bondline carries a certain amount of inhibitor to the oxide surface. 

FIG. 6 Effect of an electric field on the resultant number of solvent molecules permeating the membrane as a function of time for the case of charged solute molecules, and nonpolar homonuclear solvent molecules. R refers to the field being periodically reversed [26]. 

Fig. 8.38 Hydrogen permeation current as a function of applied potential, showing effect of change in reaction mechanism below —1200 mV (SCE) (after Obuzor )...

Three related methods based on the quasiisostatic method are used to measure permeability. The most commonly used technique allows the permeant gas or vapor to flow continuously through one chamber of the permeability cell. The gas or vapor permeates through the sample and is accumulated in the lower-concentration chamber. At predetermined time intervals, aliquots are withdrawn from the lower cell chamber for analysis. The total quantity of accumulated permeant is then determined and plotted as a function of time. The slope of the linear portion of the transmission-rate profile is related to the sample s permeability. 

It should be recognized that all plastic materials over a time period allow a certain amount of water vapor, organic gas, or liquid to permeate the thickness of the material. It is only a matter of degree of permeation between various materials used as barriers against vapors and gases. It has been found that the permeability coefficient is a function of the solubility coefficient and diffusion coefficient. The process of permeation is explained as the solution of the vapor into the incoming surface of the barrier, followed by diffusion through the barrier thickness, and evaporation on the exit side. 

Chloride channels are membrane proteins that allow for the passive flow of anions across biological membranes. As chloride is the most abundant anion under physiological conditions, these channels are often called chloride channels instead of anion channels, even though other anions (such as iodide or nitrate) may permeate better. As some CLC proteins function as CF-channels, whereas other perform CF/H+-exchangers are also mentioned here. 

Experiments on absorption and permeation of flavorants have been carried out in high nitrile barrier containers with a number of organic compounds which represent a variety of chemical functionalities. Table... 

Based on results of NMR and of gel permeation chromatography studies, a simplified composition for the PGCBA that yielded the epoxide equivalent of 0.137 kg/mol was assumed. The molar fraction of tetra functional molecules was taken as v4 = 0.45 and of trifunctional molecules was taken as v3 = 0.55. 

Mazur, P., Miller, R.H., Leibo, S.P. (1974). Survival of frozen-thawed bovine red cells as a function of the permeation of glycerol and sucrose. J. Membr. Biol. 15, 137-158. 

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