Catalytic Membranes Embedding Selective Catalysts: Preparation and Applications

The embedding of a catalyst in membranes is today recognized as a promising strategy to develop highly efficient and eco-friendly heterogeneous catalytic chemical processes. When a catalyst is heterogenized within or on the surface of a membrane, the membrane composition (characteristics of the membrane material: hydrophobic or hydrophilic, presence of chemical groups with specific functionality, etc.) and the membrane structure (dense or porous, symmetric or asymmetric), can positively influence the catalyst performance, not only by the selective sorption and diffusion of reagents and/or products, but also influencing the catalyst activity by electronic and conformational effect. These effects are similar to those occurring in biological membranes. In this chapter, after a preliminary presentation of the basic principles of membrane reactors and polymer membranes, the preparation, characterization and applications of polymeric catalytic membranes, will be discussed.