Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
638403 | Journal of Membrane Science | 2007 | 8 Pages |
Solvent stable organic solvent nanofiltration membranes were prepared through the chemical crosslinking of integrally skinned Lenzing P84 polyimide membranes using aliphatic diamines. The resultant membranes had a spongy structure and were stable in many organic solvents including toluene, methanol, methylene chloride, tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl formamide and n-methyl pyrrolidone. Operation in dimethyl formamide and tetrahydrofuran for 120 h showed that the membranes have stable fluxes and good separation performances, with DMF permeability in the range of 1–8 × 10−5 L m−2 h−1 Pa−1 (1–8 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) and a MWCO between 250 and 400 g mol−1. Possible re-imidization and loss of crosslinking at elevated temperatures limits their range of application to temperatures <100 °C. Their ease of preparation makes the membranes easily scalable and opens up future possibilities for further applications in harsh solvent environments.