MWCNT/poly(phenylene isophtalamide) Nanocomposite Membranes for Pervaporation of Organic Mixtures

Homogeneous membranes based on poly (phenylene isophtalamide) (PA) modified by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) Taunit® were prepared and studied in separation of methanol/MTBE mixture by pervaporation. It was shown that the membranes were selective with respect to methanol. The highest values of separation factor and permeability were obtained for membrane containing 2wt% MWCNT in comparison with PA and PA/MWCNT (5wt%) membranes. Study of membrane swelling in methanol made it possible to determine sorption degree, Flory-Huggins parameters of polymer-solvent interaction and coefficients of methanol diffusion in membrane. Sorption and diffusion characteristics were involved in the analysis of transport properties in the pervaporation process. It was established that PA/MWCNT nanocomposite membranes are effective in purification of MTBE from methanol impurities.