s Mosleh - Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
Gh Khanbabaei - Chemical Polymeric and Petrochemical Technology Development Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), Tehran, Iran
m.r mozdianfard - Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
m hemmati - Chemical Polymeric and Petrochemical Technology Development Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), Tehran, Iran

Mixed-matrix membranes, comprising inorganic particles e.g. zeolites, carbon molecular sieves (CMS), metal peroxides (MOs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and metal organic frameworks (MOFs),dispersed in a continuous polymeric matrix provide an interesting approach for improving the gas separation properties of polymeric membranes. Recent developments showed some promising features of MOFs as gas storage media and adsorbent for gas separation. Poly(amide-b-ethylene oxide) (Pebax® 1657) as backbone and a mesoporous MOF, Iron benzene-1, 3, 5-tricarboxylate (Fe-BTC), as filler were used to fabricate flat mixed matrix membranes. These membranes were synthesized by solution-casting and evaporation method. Effect of different filler contents up to 20% on membrane performances in gas separation was investigated. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis showed acceptable connections between the two phases and uniformly distribution of particles. The resulted MMM showed higher performance compared to the neat polymeric membranes in CO2/CH4 pure gas separation. The favorable performance of MOF containing membranes can be attributed to the strong increase of the sorption capacity and chain rigidity by the Fe(BTC) particles incorporation.

Gas Separation, Fe-BTC, Pebax®1657, Mixed Matrix Membrane