Polymer-salt complexes containing silver ions and their application to facilitated olefin transport membranes

Abstract

The separation of olefin/paraffin mixtures using polymer-silver complexes is explored here. Composite membranes of 1:1 (C=O/Ag) poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)/AgBF4 on microporous polysulfone support are shown to facilitate the transport of propylene, with its permeance and pure gas selectivity over propane increasing 450-fold when compared to pure polymer membranes.