E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire Et Conseil De Surveillance Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude

L'air Liquide, S.a.

L'air Liquide, Soci&#xe9;t&#xe9; Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Proc&#xe9;d&#xe9;s Georges Claude

L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des

L'air Liquides, Sa

Okan Max Ekiner

John Warren Simmons

Richard Allen Hayes

Gregory K Fleming

Robert A Covington, Jr

Sudhir S Kulkarni

George Vassilatos

Philip Manos

Nicolas Richet

Ian C Roman

Timothy Lawrence Murray

Phillip Manos

Timothy L Murray

A suspension of inorganic particles, a copolymer comprising soft segments and hard segments, and a solvent may be extruded through a spinnerette to produce inorganic/organic composite hollow precursor fibers. The precursor fibers may be sintered. The fibers may be utilized in a gas separation module for separation of a gas mixture or production of syngas. The fibers may be installed in the gas separation module after sintering or they may be sintered after installation.

Hollow organic/inorganic composite fibers, sintered fibers, methods of making such fibers, gas separation modules incorporating such fibers, and methods of using such modules

This abstract discusses membranes needed to separate fluids for the production of oxygen-enriched air, nitrogen-enriched-air, for the separation of carbon dioxide from hydrocarbons, and the separation of hydrogen from various petrochemical and oil refining streams. Membranes are needed that provide a resistance to interaction with process components or contaminants, provide the mechanical strength required to withstand high membrane differential pressures and high process temperatures, and exhibit sufficient maximum strain such that membranes are not brittle and can easily be formed into desirable membrane forms. Membranes of polyimide polymers, particularly polyimide polymers sold under the trade name P-84, are annealed in a controlled annealing step to improve the mechanical properties of the polymers used to make separation membranes. The resulting annealed polyimide polymer is used to produce various forms of high strength, chemically resistant membranes, including hollow-fiber membranes that are suitable for high pressure, high temperature applications.

Separation membrane by controlled annealing of polyimide polymers

A process for the separation or concentration of olefinic hydrocarbons from mixtures of olefinic and paraffinic hydrocarbons uses a polyimide membrane, The process is well suited to separating propylene from propylene/propane mixtures. The novel method the membrane exhibits good resistance to plasticization by hydrocarbon components in the gas mixture under practical industrial process conditions.

Method of separating olefins from mixtures with paraffins

Membranes are used to separate fluids for the production of oxygen-enriched air, nitrogen-enriched-air, for the separation of carbon dioxide from hydrocarbons, and the separation of hydrogen from various petrochemical and oil refining streams. Membranes are discussed that provide a resistance to interaction with process components or contaminants, which can lead to plasticizing of the membrane, while providing the mechanical strength required to withstand high membrane differential pressures and high process temperatures. Membranes of blended polymers are used to improve the mechanical strength of the polymers used to make separation membranes. Specifically, polyimide polymers are combined with a blend polymer that is a polyamide and/or a polyamide-imde polymer. The resulting polymer mix is used to produce various forms of high strength, chemically resistant membranes, including hollow-fiber membranes that are suitable for high pressure, high temperature applications.

Separation membrane made from blends of polyimide with polyamide or polyimide-amide polymers

A method of separating or concentrating hydrocarbon-containing gas mixtures such as hydrogen from hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide from hydrocarbons, nitrogen from hydrocarbons, and hydrocarbons from one another using a selectively permeable membrane. The method is well suited to separate hydrocarbon-containing mixtures such as those generated by petroleum refining industries, petrochemical industries, natural gas processing, and the like. The membranes exhibit extremely good resistance to plasticization by hydrocarbon components in the gas mixture under practical industrial process conditions.

Method for separating hydrocarbon-containing gas mixtures using hydrocarbon-resistant membranes

The present invention provides a selectively gas permeable membrane that has a superior combination of permeability and selectivity. The membrane composition includes a Type 1 copolyimide uniformly blended with a Type 2 copolyimide, which polymers are defined by chemical structure more specifically in this disclosure. The invention also provides a method of using the membrane of the copolyimide blend to separate components of gas mixtures.

Polyimide blends for gas separation membranes

Isopycnic or asymmetric mixed matrix hollow fiber membranes for gas separation can be made by a continuous spinning process. Mixed matrix membranes are characterized by a continuous phase of selectively gas permeable polymer in which are uniformly dispersed discrete absorbent particles such as molecular sieves that also have selectivity enhancing properties. The fibers can be monolithic in which the fiber wall is entirely mixed matrix, or composite in which an active mixed matrix layer is positioned adjacent to a supporting substrate layer. The novel mixed matrix hollow fiber membranes provide higher selectivity than dense film membranes of the continuous phase polymer.

Process for making hollow fiber mixed matrix membranes

Improved polymer blends, and polymer blend membranes having improved mechanical properties are provided by alteration of the critical solution temperature of the polymer blend spinning solution through the incorporation of organic or inorganic complexing agents.

Polymer blend membranes with improved mechanical properties

Improved polymer blends, and polymer blend membranes having improved mechanical properties are provided by alteration of the critical solution temperature of the polymer blend spinning solution through the incorporation of organic or inorganic completing agents.

The invention provides for gas separation membranes with superior gas transport properties made from certain two- and three-component blends of polyethersulfone with aromatic polyimides, to provide a gas separation membrane with superior productivity and good selectivity.

Gas separation membranes of blends of polyethersulfones with aromatic

Gas separation membranes having enhanced selectivity for a mixture of gases is disclosed. The membranes may be asymmetric or multicomponent. The membranes surprisingly provide selectivity for gases in a mixture that approaches the relative selectivity of the single gas components. Preferably the membrane provides selectivity for a mixture of gases which is at least 65%, preferably 80%, of the relative selectivity of the corresponding single gases. A process for making improved gas separation membranes is also disclosed.

Multicomponent or asymmetric gas separation membranes

Process for enhancing the selectivity of mixed gas separations

The present invention provides a three-component blend of (i) certain aromatic polyethersulfones, (ii) certain aromatic polyimides, and (iii) certain aromatic polyimides, polyamides or polyamide-imides or mixtures thereof. The blends provide gas separation membranes with superior gas transport properties.

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Wilmington, DE, United States of America

Okan Max Ekiner