title: Combinatorial Methodology for Screening Selectivity in Polymeric Pervaporation Membranes.
abstract: Combinatorial methodology is described for rapid screening of selectivity in polymeric pervaporation membrane materials for alcohol-water separations. The screening technique is demonstrated for ethanol-water separation using a model polyacrylate system. The materials studied are cross-linked random copolymers of a hydrophobic comonomer (n-butyl acrylate, B) and a hydrophilic comonomer (2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, H). A matrix of materials is prepared that has orthogonal variations in two key variables, H:B ratio and cross-linker concentration. For mixtures of ethanol and water, equilibrium selectivities and distribution coefficients are obtained by combining swelling measurements with high-throughput HPLC analysis. Based on the screening results, two copolymers are selected for further study as pervaporation membranes to quantify permeability selectivity and the flux of ethanol. The screening methodology described has good potential to accelerate the search for new membrane materials, as it is adaptable to a broad range of polymer chemistries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University , Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States.
authors.forename: Rutvik V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Godbole
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University , Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University , Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Doerfert
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University , Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States.
authors.forename: Porsche
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University , Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States.
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hedden
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020650:Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000438:Alcohols; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D014867:Water; C035957:2-hydroxyethyl acrylate; C006903:carbopol 940; C032490:n-butyl acrylate
keywords: combinatorial synthesis; gels; permeability selectivity; pervaporation membranes