Permeation of CO2 and CH4 through a 2-(N,N-dimethyl amino) ethyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile copolymer membrane

A copolymeric membrane material containing a tertiary amino group was synthesized by radical copolymerization of 2-(N,N-dimethyl amino) ethyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile. The chemical structure of the copolymer was analyzed by viscosity measurement, elemental analysis, FTIR and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The homogeneous copolymeric membrane was prepared. The sorption behavior as well as the permeation performance of the membranes for pure CO2 and CH4 were investigated. The results shown that CO2 sorption behavior of the membrane, which can be classified as a dual-mode sorption model, and CH4 sorption behavior of the membrane accord with the Fickian diffusion model. The membrane appears CO2 selective sorption preferentially, and facilitated transport caused by CO2 reacting reversibly with tertiary amino group for carrier in the membrane.