Membranes multilayered, diffusion through

First, porous membranes will be discussed. Gases can be separated due to differences in their molecular masses (Knudsen diffusion), due to interaction (surface diffusion, multilayer diffusion and capillary condensation) and due to their size (molecular sieving). All these mechanisms and their possibilities will be discussed. For the sake of simplicity, theoretical aspects are not covered in detail, but examples of separations in literature will be given. The next section deals with nonporous membranes. Here the separation mechanism is solution-diffusion, e.g. solution and diffusion of hydrogen through a platinum membrane. This section is followed by an outline of some new developments and conclusions. 

Du 1986). This reflects the importance of smaU pores in order to apply effectively capillary condensation as a separation mechanism. Uhlhom (1990) demonstrated the effect of multilayer diffusion of propylene through a modified y-alumina membrane at 0°C. The separation factor for the N2/CjHg mixture was 27, where propylene is the preferentially permeating component, while the permeability increased to 7 times the Knudsen diffusion permeability. Although this mechanism appears to be very effective because of a high separation factor and a high permeability, it is limited by the obvious need for a condensable component. This in turn restricts the applicability range, due to limits set by temperature and pressure, needed for formation of multilayers or capillary condensation. 

Theory. The transport characteristics of scopolamine from the system are determined by molecular diffusion through the various elements of the multilayer laminate. During the priming dose period, drug diffusion from the contact adhesive layer dominates the temporal pattern of drug release. However, during steady-state delivery, rate-limitation, or control, is resident in the microporous membrane. 

In principle, the separation properties of a multilayer porous ceramic membrane, such as permselectivity, should be dependent only on the pore size distribution of the top separation layer. However, they can be compromised if resistances in the intermediate layers and the macroporous support become significant. For transport through macro- and meso-pores, molecular diffusion, Knudsen diffusion and viscous flow all contribute to the total transport, while the activated surface flow of the adsorbed phase will affect microporous transport. Therefore, any theoretical models used in analysing the transport data of gases through a porous ceramic membrane with a distributed pore size must take the following contributions into consideration (1) viscous flow, (2) Knudsen flow, (3) surface flow and (4) molecular sieving... 

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