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. 2021 Jan 21;11(2):78.
doi: 10.3390/membranes11020078.

Coal Fly Ash Derived Silica Nanomaterial for MMMs-Application in CO2/CH4 Separation

Marius Gheorghe Miricioiu  1   2 , Violeta-Carolina Niculescu  1 , Constantin Filote  3 , Maria Simona Raboaca  1   3 , Gheorghe Nechifor  2
Affiliations

Coal Fly Ash Derived Silica Nanomaterial for MMMs-Application in CO2/CH4 Separation

Marius Gheorghe Miricioiu et al. Membranes (Basel). .

Abstract

In order to obtained high selective membrane for industrial applications (such as natural gas purification), mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were developed based on polysulfone as matrix and MCM-41-type silica material (obtained from coal fly ash) as filler. As a consequence, various quantities of filler were used to determine the membranes efficiency on CO2/CH4 separation. The coal fly ash derived silica nanomaterial and the membranes were characterized in terms of thermal stability, homogeneity, and pore size distribution. There were observed similar properties of the obtained nanomaterial with a typical MCM-41 (obtained from commercial silicates), such as high surface area and pore size distribution. The permeability tests highlighted that the synthesized membranes can be applicable for CO2 removal from CH4, due to unnoticeable differences between real and ideal selectivity. Additionally, the membranes showed high resistance to CO2 plasticization, due to permeability decrease even at high feed pressure, up to 16 bar.

Keywords: MMMs; coal fly ash; gas separation; mesoporous silica.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Membrane cell set-up.
Figure 2
Figure 2
SEM image of the MCM-41 obtained from coal ash.
Figure 3
Figure 3
EDX analysis of the MCM-41 obtained from coal ash.
Figure 4
Figure 4
MCM-41 adsorption isotherm and pores distribution.
Figure 5
Figure 5
XRD for the MCM-41 obtained from coal ash.
Figure 6
Figure 6
FTIR spectra of the mesoporous MCM-41.
Figure 7
Figure 7
TG analysis of the mesoporous MCM-41.
Figure 8
Figure 8
MMMs thickness.
Figure 9
Figure 9
SEM image of the membranes ((a)—15% MCM-41/PSF; (b)—25% MCM-41/PSF; (c)—35% MCM-41/PSF).
Figure 10
Figure 10
TG analysis of the membranes.
Figure 11
Figure 11
FTIR of the membranes.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Membranes permeability.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Membranes ideal and real selectivity.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Membranes plasticization effect.
Figure 15
Figure 15
The 35% MCM-41/PSF selectivity at different feed pressure by using gas mixture.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Robeson’s plot of CO2/CH4.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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