Plasticization and Swelling in Polymeric Membranes in CO sub(2) Removal from Natural Gas

Removal of CO sub(2) from natural gas is necessary to purify the gas and to enhance its calorific value. Membrane technology is an efficient technique for CO sub(2) removal due to its ease of operation and low cost. Polymeric membranes exhibit excellent separation performance which is affected by plasticization and swelling in the membrane. Recent technological advancements and major problems in polymeric membranes are reported in this review. Separation performance of polymeric membranes is highlighted in terms of permeability and selectivity. Moreover, techniques to overcome the major problems in polymeric membranes are reviewed. Commonly, cross-linking and thermal treatment are used to minimize the effect of plasticization and swelling in the membrane. For future perspectives, there is a need to find more efficient methods to overcome these problems. The excellent performance of polymeric membranes as suitable option for CO sub(2) removal from natural gas is limited due to major problems including plasticization and swelling. Various techniques to overcome these drawbacks are reviewed. So far, cross-linking is the most commonly applied effective method to reduce the effects of plasticization and swelling in polymeric membranes.