Caracterização de filmes formados por dispersões aquosas de poli(uretano-uréia)s para aplicação em membranas para permeação de gases

Abstract

Among the polymers considered promising for the selective removal of CO2 from natural gas, those containing ethylene glycol groups (EG) are the most distinguished. In this study cast films were obtained from aqueous dispersions of polyurethane (PU), synthesized in a previous work with poly (propylene glycol) (PPG), block copolymer based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and PPG, dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and ethylenediamine (EDA). Segments of PPG, EG-b-PG and DMPA formed the flexible domains in the proportions of: PPG 100% and 0% EG-b-PG, PPG 75% and 25% EG-b-PG, PPG 50% and 50% EG-b-PG and PPG 25% and 75% EG-b-PG, in terms of equivalent-grams. The influence of the amount of PEG segments in permeation properties of CO2, CH4 and N2 was verified by permeability essays. The membranes were obtained as cast films from the dispersions and was characterized by infrared spectrometry (FTIR), termogravimetric analysis (TGA), X ray diffractometry (XRD) and small angle X ray scattering (SAXS). FTIR spectra showed that PEG segments influenced carbonyl band frequency. Loss of mass curves with temperature (TG) showed similar profiles of degradation, whereas DTG curves presented more stages. PEG segments conferred higher thermal stability for the materials. XRD and SAXS analysis showed that PEG promoted ordination to the membranes. In gas permeation tests, it was verified that the increase in copolymer amount increased permeability value for CO2, being attributed to the fact that the segments of poly(ethylene glycol) interacted favorably with this gas. In relation to CH4 and N2, there was a significant decrease in permeability when compared to the values found for CO2, being assigned to a loss of segmental mobility with increasing content of EG. In terms of selectivity, the pair CO2/CH4 had a mean value of 61,7 for the membrane containing the highest amount of EG groups, and the pair CO2/N2 produced a mean value of 121,5 for the same one, being superior than those found in the literature, making a promising material