title: Plasticization-enhanced hydrogen purification using polymeric membranes.
abstract: Polymer membranes are attractive for molecular-scale separations such as hydrogen purification because of inherently low energy requirements. However, membrane materials with outstanding hydrogen separation performance in feed streams containing high-pressure carbon dioxide and impurities such as hydrogen sulfide and water are not available. We report highly permeable, reverse-selective membrane materials for hydrogen purification, as exemplified by molecularly engineered, highly branched, cross-linked poly(ethylene oxide). In contrast to the performance of conventional materials, we demonstrate that plasticization can be harnessed to improve separation performance.
authors.affiliation: Center for Energy and Environmental Resources and Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78758, USA.
authors.forename: Haiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Wagner
authors.forename: Benny D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Lora G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Toy
authors.forename: Raghubir P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Gupta