SEPARATION OF BENZENE CYCLOHEXANE MIXTURE S BY METHACRYLATE GELS FORMED IN PORES OF THIN, POROUS CERAMIC MEMBRANES/

In the previous paper [S. Sakohara et al., Kobunshi Ronbunshu, 52, 155 (1995)], it was reported that dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA ) gel formed in the pores of thin, porous ceramic membrane was useful for separation of benzene/cyclohexane mixtures. In order to clarify th e effects of the tertiary amine groups in DMAEMA gel on the affinity a nd the selectivity for benzene, similar experiments were carried out b y using ethyl methacrylate (EMA) gel whose chemical structure is basic ally similar to that of DMAEMA gel except for the tartiary amine group . Both gels swelled only slightly in cyclohexane, but swelled to simil ar large degrees in benzene. The fact suggests that the electrophilic actions of the carboxylic ester groups included in both gels contribut e to the affinity for benzene. The excess amount of benzene taken into DMAEMA gel in benzene/cyclohexane mixtures, however, was larger than that taken into EMA gel. The results indicate that the tertiary amine groups in DMAEMA gel affect the selectivity for benzene. Furthermore, although the selectivity for benzene through DMAEMA gel membrane decre ased with increasing the separation temperature as shown in a previous paper [S. Sakohara et al., Kobunshi Ronbunshu, 52, 155 (1995)], that through EMA gel membrane was not dependent on it at all. From these re sults it can be concluded that the tertiary amine groups in DMAEMA gel largely affect the selectivity for benzene.