ZSM-5 filled polyurethaneurea membranes for pervaporation separation isopropyl acetate from aqueous solution

ZSM-5 filled hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)-based polyurethaneurea (PU) membranes, HTPB-PU/ZSM-5, were prepared by a two-step polymerization process, which were used as membrane material to recover aroma, isopropyl acetate (IPAC), from aqueous solution by pervaporation (PV). The membranes demonstrated high IPAC permselectivity and with the increase of ZSM-5 loading, the separation factor increased initially and then decreased, while the total flux demonstrated the similar variation until the ZSM-5 loading was 40 wt.%, at which it reached the lowest value. After that, it began to increase again. The HTPB-PU/ZSM-5 membranes containing 20 wt.% ZSM-5, HTPB-PU/ZSM-5-20, showed the highest separation factor. On the other hand, the separation factor and total flux of HTPB-PU/ZSM-5-20 membrane increased with the increase of feed concentration and temperature. The best separation factor and total flux reached 288.72 and 53.21 g m−2 h−1, respectively, at 60 °C when the feed concentration of IPAC is 0.39 wt.%.

► MMM, HTPB-PU/ZSM5, were prepared and recover aroma from water by pervaporation.
► The incorporation of ZSM5 enhanced the MMM’s heat stability and pervaporation performance.
► The best separation factor and total flux of the HTPB-PU/ZSM5-20 membranes were 288.72 and 53.21 g m−2 h−1.