title: Ending aging in super glassy polymer membranes.
abstract: Aging in super glassy polymers such as poly(trimethylsilylpropyne) (PTMSP), poly(4-methyl-2-pentyne) (PMP), and polymers with intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) reduces gas permeabilities and limits their application as gas-separation membranes. While super glassy polymers are initially very porous, and ultra-permeable, they quickly pack into a denser phase becoming less porous and permeable. This age-old problem has been solved by adding an ultraporous additive that maintains the low density, porous, initial stage of super glassy polymers through absorbing a portion of the polymer chains within its pores thereby holding the chains in their open position. This result is the first time that aging in super glassy polymers is inhibited whilst maintaining enhanced CO2 permeability for one year and improving CO2/N2 selectivity. This approach could allow super glassy polymers to be revisited for commercial application in gas separations.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Private Bag 33, Clayton South MDC, VIC 3169 (Australia).
authors.forename: Cher Hon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Phuc Tien
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Aaron W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konstas
authors.forename: Cara M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Roger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bourgeois
authors.forename: Amelia C Y
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Sprouster
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bastow
authors.forename: Anita J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Douglas L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Gin
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Noble
keywords: aging; gas separation; membranes; polymers; porous materials