Nano composite PEBAX® membranes: Effect of zeolite X filler on CO2 permeation

A PEBAX-nano zeolite X mixed matrix membrane was fabricated and operationally characterized using single gas (CO2) permeation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to study the arrangement of polymer chains of mixed matrix membrane. The membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to study cross-sectional morphology. The single gas permeability were carried out for neat PEBAX and PEBAX-nano zeolite X (10 wt. %) membranes. Operating pressures varied from 6 to 14 bars. CO2 permeability for the nano-composite membrane was higher than the neat polymer membrane and increased with pressure. Adding 10 wt.% of nanozeolite X into the polymeric matrix caused CO2 permeability to increase. Both structurally and operationally characterizations revealed the defect-free structure of the nano composite membrane.