Sains Malaysiana 50(11)(2021): 3395-3404

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5011-23

Performance Evaluation of PDMS or PEBAX- Coated Polyetherimide Membrane for Oxygen/Nitrogen Separation

(Penilaian Prestasi PDMS atau PEBAX- Bersalut Membran Polieterimida untuk Pemisahan Oksigen/Nitrogen)

 KOK CHUNG CHONG¹*, SOON ONN LAI¹, HUI SAN THIAM¹, SHEE KEAT MAH¹, WOEI JYE LAU² & AHMAD FAUZI ISMAIL²

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Cheras, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 25 Mei 2020/Diterima: 8 Mac 2021

ABSTRACT

Since the industrial revolution era, the Earth was suffering from serious air pollution. Millions of people are now suffering from indoor air pollution related diseases, especially in the industrialized countries such as China. One method to improve the indoor air quality is by oxygen enhancement. Membrane technology has been a key research over the past decades due to its low energy usage, minimum chemical consumption as well as small setting up layout. In this study, polyetherimide (PEI) membranes coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or poly(ether block amide) (PEBAX) at different concentration (1, 3 or 5 wt%) were used to evaluate the oxygen/nitrogen gas separation. Prior to the gas permeation study, the membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM) for morphology observation and surface elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX). The morphology of the self-fabricated PEI membranes is composed of a thin and dense structure supported by the finger-like structure. The results obtained from oxygen/nitrogen separation studies shows membrane coated with 3 wt% PDMS yield a good separation results, exhibiting an improvement of oxygen and nitrogen permeance by 28.2% and 24.9%, selectivity by 10.4% (up to 5.08) relative to the base PEI membrane. Meanwhile, the 3 wt% PEBAX-coated PEI membrane only achieved selectivity of 3.56. The PDMS-coated PEI membrane yield a better separation performance attributed to the fact that PDMS coating on the hollow fiber membrane improve the surface morphology by reducing the defects.

Keywords: Gas separation; nitrogen; oxygen; polydimethylsiloxane; polyetherimide; poly(ether block amide)

ABSTRAK

Sejak era revolusi perindustrian, Bumi mengalami pencemaran udara yang serius. Berjuta-juta orang kini menderita penyakit berkaitan pencemaran udara dalaman, terutamanya mereka yang tinggal di negara perindustrian seperti China. Salah satu kaedah untuk meningkatkan kualiti udara dalaman adalah dengan peningkatan oksigen. Teknologi membran telah menjadi penyelidikan utama selama beberapa dekad yang lalu kerana penggunaan tenaga yang rendah, kadar penggunaan bahan kimia yang minimum dan menggunakan ruang yang kecil. Dalam kajian ini, membran polieterimida (PEI) yang disalut dengan polidimetilsiloksan (PDMS) atau poli(eter blok amida) (PEBAX) pada kepekatan yang berbeza (1, 3 atau 5 wt%) digunakan untuk menilai pemisahan gas oksigen/nitrogen. Sebelum kajian penelapan gas, membran dicirikan menggunakan mikroskop elektron imbasan (SEM) untuk pemerhatian morfologi dan analisis unsur permukaan dengan spektroskopi sinar-X penyebaran tenaga (EDX). Morfologi membran PEI buatan sendiri terdiri daripada struktur nipis dan padat yang disokong oleh struktur seperti jari. Hasil penyerapan gas menunjukkan bahawa membran yang dilapisi dengan 3% PDMS adalah membran yang terbaik dengan kadar peningkatan oksigen dan nitrogen sebanyak 28.2% dan 24.9% serta peningkatan kepilihan sebanyak 10.4% (hingga 5.08) berbanding dengan membran PEI yang tidak bersalut. Sementara itu, membran PEI bersalut PEBAX 3% hanya mencapai kepilihan sebanyak 3.56. Membran PEI yang disalut PDMS menghasilkan prestasi pemisahan yang lebih baik disebabkan oleh fakta bahawa lapisan PDMS dapat memperbaiki morfologi permukaan membran dengan mengurangkan kecacatan.

Kata kunci: Nitrogen; oksigen; pemisahan gas; polieterimida; polidimetilsiloksan; poli(eter blok amida)

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: chongkc@utar.edu.my