Synthesis and characterization of fluorinated polyimides for pervaporation of n-heptane/thiophene mixtures

Soluble fluoro-polyimides have been synthesized by reacting of a fluorine-containing aromatic dianhydride, 2,2′-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride, with aromatic diamine to yield poly(amic acid)s which were then cyclized to yield polyimide by chemical imidization method. The polyimides have excellent solubility both in strong bipolar solvents, such as NMP and DMAc, and in common organic solvents, such as THF and dioxane, etc. The glass transition temperature of these polyimides were determined by DSC and ranged from 281 to 289 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that these polyimides have good thermal stability with initial thermal decomposition temperature of 520–526 °C. The polyimide asymmetric membranes were prepared by phase inversion method and the inner structure was observed by method of SEM. The pervaporation properties of the prepared polyimides asymmetric membranes for n-heptane/thiophene mixtures were investigated at 40–77 °C and the permeation flux and the sulfur enrichment factor of the polyimide membranes are in the range of 0.56–1.68 kg/m2 h and 3.12–2.24, respectively. The result demonstrated that the pervaporation method could be very effective method for desulfurization by polyimides asymmetric membranes with ultrathin skin.