Gas Transport Properties of High Performance Polymers

Dense membranes made of PEEKWC, a novel soluble poly(aryletheretherketone), and poly[bis(phenoxy)phosphazene] (PPOP) have been prepared and tested for gas transport properties. The polymers have been characterized by DSC, Wide Angle X-ray Diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and show excellent thermal stability and permselectivity. Permeability to CO2, He, N2 and O2 have been measured at steady state from 25 to 85-degrees-C. CO2 solubility in PEEKWC has been determined at low pressures. PEEKWC is a glassy polymer with a dual mode sorption behavior for carbon dioxide. Differences in the gas transport properties in PPOP membranes with different origin and crystalline fractions cannot be interpreted only as a simple effect of the variation of average mobility of the amorphous polymeric chain segments.