The fractionation of crude-oil mixtures through distillation is a large-scale, energy-intensive process. Membrane materials can avoid phase changes in such mixtures and thereby reduce the energy intensity of these thermal separations. With this application in mind, we created spirocyclic polymers with N-aryl bonds that demonstrated noninterconnected microporosity in the absence of ladder linkages. The resulting glassy polymer membranes demonstrated nonthermal membrane fractionation of light crude oil through a combination of class- and size-based “sorting” of molecules. We observed an enrichment of molecules lighter than 170 daltons corresponding to a carbon number of 12 or a boiling point less than 200°C in the permeate. Such scalable, selective membranes offer potential for the hybridization of energy-efficient technology with conventional processes such as distillation.
N-Aryl–linked spirocyclic polymers for membrane separations of complex hydrocarbon mixtures / Thompson, K. A.; Mathias, R.; Kim, D.; Kim, J.; Rangnekar, N.; Johnson, J. R.; Hoy, S. J.; Bechis, I.; Tarzia, A.; Jelfs, K. E.; Mccool, B. A.; Livingston, A. G.; Lively, R. P.; Finn, M. G.. - 369:6501(2020), pp. 310-315. [10.1126/science.aba9806]
N-Aryl–linked spirocyclic polymers for membrane separations of complex hydrocarbon mixtures
Tarzia A.;
2020
Abstract
The fractionation of crude-oil mixtures through distillation is a large-scale, energy-intensive process. Membrane materials can avoid phase changes in such mixtures and thereby reduce the energy intensity of these thermal separations. With this application in mind, we created spirocyclic polymers with N-aryl bonds that demonstrated noninterconnected microporosity in the absence of ladder linkages. The resulting glassy polymer membranes demonstrated nonthermal membrane fractionation of light crude oil through a combination of class- and size-based “sorting” of molecules. We observed an enrichment of molecules lighter than 170 daltons corresponding to a carbon number of 12 or a boiling point less than 200°C in the permeate. Such scalable, selective membranes offer potential for the hybridization of energy-efficient technology with conventional processes such as distillation.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
---|---|---|---|
science.aba9806.pdf
non disponibili
Tipologia:
2a Post-print versione editoriale / Version of Record
Licenza:
Non Pubblico - Accesso privato/ristretto
Dimensione
905.55 kB
Formato
Adobe PDF
|
905.55 kB | Adobe PDF | Visualizza/Apri Richiedi una copia |
Pubblicazioni consigliate
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
https://hdl.handle.net/11583/2981662