Supported carbon membranes using poly(ether sulfone) precursor

This research focused on developing membranes using poly(ether sulfone) as polymeric precursor and DMSO as a solvent. The dip-coating technique was used to form a polymeric layer on the alumina ceramic tube, and the pyrolysis was conducted at 700 °C under N2 atmosphere. The structural analyses showed that the supported carbon membranes (SCM) are basically composed of amorphous and turbostratic carbon with graphitic domain, confirming the heterogeneity of the matrix. It was observed from the FTIR and XRD results that the precursor polymer was fully pyrolyzed. The carbon structure obtained presented a microporous character (pore radius equal to 6.2 A) and a high BET surface area (approximately 400 m2 g−1). The SCM presented a well-defined selective layer with little or no intrusion in the pores of the support. A higher polymeric concentration promoted an increase in the thickness of the carbon membranes (from 20 μm to 36 μm). The carbon membranes produced showed high thermal stability, allowing their application in gas separation processes at higher temperatures, up to approximately 400 °C.