Project Overview
There is a constant quest for novel membranes with enhanced performance for the separation/purification of several gases such as CO2 from N2 (for carbon dioxide removal from power plants) and H2 for the purification of hydrogen, which is crucial to make more efficient fuel cells. So far, nobody has been able to produce a polymer that does not suffer the ageing problem, which in the end leads to change/deterioration in the performance of the membrane modules during time and use. One of the possible solutions to this problem is represented by the design and synthesis of novel Mixed Matrix Membranes (MMMs). They are prepared by the dispersion of an insoluble component (filler) into a soluble organic polymer (matrix), and combine the benefits derived by the processability of the organic support and the separation properties of the fillers. The main advantage, from this perspective, would come from the synthesis of an appropriate filler that would block the polymeric chains from collapsing, stabilising the performance