Elimination of the Crystallinity of Long Polyethylene Oxide-Based Copolymers for Gas Separation Membranes by Using Electron Beam Irradiation

Polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based polymers containing long PEO chains are one of the best materials for postcombustion processes, attending to their separation properties. Optimal conditions for the application of the membrane separation module are immediately after elimination of water vapor, NOx, SO2, and dust particles, where the temperature of the gas is between 25 and 40 degrees C. Materials with high contents and longer length of PEO are the ideal candidates for the application in terms of properties. Unfortunately, these materials are normally not applicable due to, at these temperatures, the high crystallinity of PEO chains, which leads to poor gas separation properties. Here, by electron beam irradiation, it has been possible to eliminate or substantially reduce the crystallinity of poly(ether-imide)s with high PEO content, which is confirmed by the positive effect in the separation properties. Optimal dosage to eliminate the crystallinity and to maximize permeability has been investigated.