"Brick-and-mortar" synthesis of free-standing mesoporous carbon nanocomposite membranes as supports of room temperature ionic liquids for CO2-N2 separation

Song Hai Chai, Pasquale F. Fulvio, Patrick C. Hillesheim, Zhen An Qiao, Shannon M. Mahurin, Sheng Dai

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Free-standing mesoporous carbon-graphitic carbon nanocomposite membranes with controllable pore size (7.3-11.3nm) were synthesized by the "brick-and-mortar" method, carbon black (CB) as "bricks" and soft-templated phenolic resin-based mesoporous carbon (MC) as the "mortar". Immobilization of imidazolium-based room temperature ionic liquids ([Cnmim][Tf2N], n=2, 4, and 6) in the MC-CB membranes produced a series of supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) that are permselective for separation of CO2-N2 gas pair. Strong capillary forces resulting from the well-developed mesoporosity of the MC-CB membranes greatly enhanced the stability of the supported ionic liquids. This enabled the SILMs to operate under transmembrane pressures as high as 1000kPa without degrading their separation performance. This makes it possible to apply SILMs to high-pressure CO2 capture and separation processes, where high transmembrane pressure would greatly increase the permeate flux through the membranes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)73-80
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Membrane Science
Volume468
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 15 2014

Funding

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division .

FundersFunder number
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science
Basic Energy Sciences
Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division

    Keywords

    • 1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide
    • Carbon dioxide
    • Gas separation
    • Mesoporous carbon membranes
    • Supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs)

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