Polymeric media comprising polybenzimidazoles n-substituted with organic-inorganic hybrid moiety

Abstract

A PBI compound includes imidazole nitrogens at least a portion of which are substituted with an organic-inorganic hybrid moiety may be included in a separatory medium. At least 85% of the imidazole nitrogens may be substituted. The organic-inorganic hybrid moiety may be an organosilane moiety, for example, (R)MeSiCH— where R is selected from among methyl, phenyl, vinyl, and allyl. The separatory medium may exhibit an H, Ar, N, O, CH, or COgas permeability greater than the gas permeability of a comparable separatory medium comprising the PBI compound without substitution. The separatory medium may further include an electronically conductive medium and/or an ionically conductive medium. The separatory medium may be used as a membrane (semi-permeable, permeable, and non-permeable), a barrier, an ion exchange media, a filter, a gas chromatography coating (such as stationary phase coating in affinity chromatography), etc.