Mixed matrix composite membranes based on amination of reduced graphene oxide for CO2 separation: Effects of heating time and nanofiller loading

The CO2 gas separation performance of aminated reduced graphene oxide (A-rGO) incorporated PEBAX mixed matrix composite membranes, by means of amination heating time and A-rGO loading, is reported. The 5 h of heating time resulted in an essential molecular sieving property for CO2 separation, thus used in membrane fabrication. The selective PEBAX/A-rGO5 layers were fabricated on top of the polysulfone supporting layer by a dip-coating method. The A-rGO was well-dispersed, the selective and support layers were seamlessly attached. The CO2 permeability and CO2/N-2 selectivity of the PEBAX/A-rGO5 was greater than that of pristine PEBAX. 3 wt% of A-rGO5 loading resulted as the optimum since the gas selectivity decreased at higher loading. The PEBAX/A-rGO5 performance, which was slightly above the Robeson 2008 upper bound of permeability-selectivity relation for CO2/N-2 gas separation, shows a promising application for industrial CO2 gas separation process.