A membrane and method for the separation of aromatic hydrocarbons from a mixture of various aromatic hydrocarbons or from a mixture of such aromatic hydrocarbons and non-aromatic hydrocarbons

The invention relates to membranes and to a method for the separation of aromatic hydrocarbons from a mixture of various aromatic hydrocarbons or from a mixture of such aromatic hydrocarbons and non-aromatic hydrocarbons. According to the invention the membrane is formed from a polymer matrix that may or may not be cross-linked being built up of (a) one or more monofunctional monomers selected from the group of polymerizable monomers having one double bond, and/or (b) one or more functional cross-linkable monomers selected from the group consisting of a polyfunctional, polymerizable monomer having at least two double bonds. It is noted that the monofunctional monomer is an acrylate or meth-acrylate of the formula CH2=CHR-COOR in which R is H or methyl, and R is a C1-C30 alkyl, benzyl or aryl group which may or may not be substituted by hetero atoms. The polymeric matrix is formed under the influence of U.V. irradiation, electron irradiation or thermal treatment.