Polysulfone and Mesoporous Molecular Sieve MCM-48 Mixed Matrix Membranes for Gas Separation

A mesoporous MCM-48 silica was synthesized by a templating method and mixed with polysulfone (PSF) to fabricate mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). Helium permeation data and SEM images of as-synthesized MCM-48/PSF MMMs suggest that MCM-48 silica particles adhered well to the PSF matrix and that the MMMs were defect free. Gas permeation tests indicated that the increases in permeability resulted from increases in solubility as well as diffusivity. The increases in transport properties for all tested gases make mesoporous MCM-48 silica an attractive additive for enhancing the gas permeability of MMMs without sacrificing selectivity.