Geometry zeolite /polymer mixed-matrix membranes

Geometries of Zeolite/Polymer Mixed-Matrix Membranes 341... 

Zeolite/polymer mixed-matrix membranes can be fabricated into dense film, asymmetric flat sheet, or asymmetric hollow fiber. Similar to commercial polymer membranes, mixed-matrix membranes need to have an asymmetric membrane geometry with a thin selective skin layer on a porous support layer to be commercially viable. The skin layer should be made from a zeohte/polymer mixed-matrix material to provide the membrane high selectivity, but the non-selective porous support layer can be made from the zeohte/polymer mixed-matrix material, a pure polymer membrane material, or an inorganic membrane material. 

The geometries for asymmetric mixed-matrix membranes include flat sheets, hollow fibers and thin-fihn composites. The flat sheet asymmetric mixed-matrix membranes are formed into spirally wound modules and the hollow fiber asymmetric mixed-matrix membranes are formed into hollow fiber modules. The thin-film composite mixed-matrix membranes can be fabricated into either spirally wound or hollow fiber modules. The thin-film composite geometry of mixed-matrix membranes enables selection of different membrane materials for the support layer and low-cost production of asymmetric mixed-matrix membranes utilizing a relatively high-cost zeolite/polymer separating layer on the support layer. 

A next-future application of MOFs is predicted for MOF-oiganic polymer-based mixed matrix membranes in hollow fiber or spiral wound geometry. Established membrane production technologies such as hollow fiber spinning or foil casting can be used for the preparation of mixed matrix membranes. Further, MOFs match much better with organic polymers than zeolites, for example, even if the latter have been hydrophobized, such as by silylation. 

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