Covalent and non-covalent approaches to suppress plasticization of polymer membranes for gas separation

Polymer membranes represent an attractive platform for energy-efficient gas separation, but they are known to suffer from plasticization during continuous gas-separation processes. This phenomenon is caused by the spontaneous relaxation of individual polymer chains arising from the swelling effect induced by high-pressure highly soluble gases such as CO2, and it weakens the stability of the membrane, leading to a significant loss of selectivity during the separation of mixed gases. Thus, minimizing the disadvantages of polymer membranes is essential to ensure reliable gas-separation performance for practical applications. This feature article summarizes the theory underlying the plasticization of polymer membranes and introduces covalent and non-covalent approaches to suppress plasticization behaviour on a molecular level.

Automated summary

Polymer membranes are promising for energy-efficient gas separation, but they tend to undergo plasticization during continuous gas separation processes. This is caused by the swelling effect induced by highly soluble gases such as CO2, weakening the membrane stability and leading to significant loss of selectivity. Minimizing the disadvantages of polymer membranes is crucial for reliable gas separation performance. This feature article discusses the theory behind polymer membrane plasticization and introduces covalent and non-covalent approaches to suppress it on a molecular level.