US 12,280,340 B2
Carbon molecular sieve membrane and its use in separation processes
David Alfredo Pacheco Tanaka, Donosita-San Sebastián Gipuzkoa (ES); Margot Anabell Llosa Tanco, Donosita-San Sebastián Gipuzkoa (ES); Maria Luisa Vittoria Nordio, Sant'Angelo Lodigiano (IT); Jose Antonio Medrano Jimenez, Eindhoven (NL); and Fausto Gallucci, Heeze (NL)
Assigned to FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION, Guipuzcoa (ES); and EINDHOVEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, Eindhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 17/784,580
Filed by FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION, Derio-Bizkaia (ES); and EINDHOVEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, Eindhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Dec. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/085597
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 10, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/116319, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 17, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19383095 (EP), filed on Dec. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0347632 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. B01D 71/02 (2006.01); B01D 17/02 (2006.01); B01D 53/22 (2006.01); B01D 67/00 (2006.01); B01D 69/02 (2006.01); B01D 69/12 (2006.01); C02F 1/44 (2023.01)
CPC B01D 71/0212 (2022.08) [B01D 17/02 (2013.01); B01D 53/228 (2013.01); B01D 67/0067 (2013.01); B01D 67/0088 (2013.01); B01D 69/02 (2013.01); B01D 69/12 (2013.01); C02F 1/44 (2013.01); B01D 2323/02 (2013.01); B01D 2325/36 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A water-saturated carbon molecular sieve membrane obtainable by a process comprising:
i) providing a hydrophilic carbon molecular sieve membrane (CMSM) comprising pores of a pore size as defined herein from 0.25 nm to 0.55 nm for molecular sieving, and of a pore size from higher than 0.55 nm to 0.90 nm for adsorption diffusion and a negligible amount of pores larger than 0.90 nm, such that a plot of N2 permeance as defined herein versus pressure of permeation at room temperature and at a pressure from 1 to 4 bar has zero or negative slope; and
ii) humidifying the CMSM obtained in step i) to obtain a water-saturated CMSM by:
treating it with water vapor at a temperature from 5° C. to 180° C. and at atmospheric pressure and a relative humidity higher than 95% during a period of time such that after further treatment with water vapor, the permeation flux of a non-adsorbable gas at 4 bar at the temperature at which the CMSM has been treated with water vapor is constant during a particular period of time; or
alternatively, by exposing the CMSM to a N2 or He gas stream saturated with water by bubbling the gas at a temperature from 5° C. to 180° C. into a tank filled with water such that after further exposure to the N2 or He gas stream saturated with water, the permeation flux of a non-adsorbable gas at 4 bar and at the mentioned temperature is constant during a particular period of time.