Studies on Gas Transport Through Dry Cellulose Acetate Membranes Prepared by Solvent Exchange Technique

Abstract

The mechanism of gas transport through pores on the surface of dry cellulose acetate membranes under pressure was identified for membranes prepared by the solvent exchange technique using pure gas permeation rate data. The pure gases were helium, methane and carbon dioxide. The variables Involved in the membrane preparation are the shrinkage temperature, the first solvent, the second solvent and the combinations thereof. Different conditions of membrane preparation produce different pore sizes. Depending on this pore size, one of the following mechanisms becomes dominant: Knudsen, surface and size exclusion.