Functionalized KIT-6/Polysulfone Mixed Matrix Membranes for Enhanced CO(2)/CH(4) Gas Separation

The development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for effective gas separation has been gaining popularity in recent years. The current study aimed at the fabrication of MMMs incorporated with various loadings (0–4 wt%) of functionalized KIT-6 (NH(2)KIT-6) [KIT: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology] for enhanced gas permeation and separation performance. NH(2)KIT-6 was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and N(2) adsorption–desorption analysis. The fabricated membranes were subjected to FESEM and FTIR analyses. The effect of NH(2)KIT-6 loading on the CO(2) permeability and ideal CO(2)/CH(4) selectivity of the fabricated membranes were investigated in gas permeation and separation studies. The successfulness of (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) functionalization on KIT-6 was confirmed by FTIR analysis. As observed from FESEM images, MMMs with no voids in the matrix were successfully fabricated at a low NH(2)KIT-6 loading of 0 to 2 wt%. The CO(2) permeability and ideal CO(2)/CH(4) selectivity increased when NH(2)KIT-6 loading was increased from 0 to 2 wt%. However, a further increase in NH(2)KIT-6 loading beyond 2 wt% led to a drop in ideal CO(2)/CH(4) selectivity. In the current study, a significant increase of about 47% in ideal CO(2)/CH(4) selectivity was achieved by incorporating optimum 2 wt% NH(2)KIT-6 into the MMMs.