Permeation and separation or styrene/ethylbenzene mixtures through cross-linked poly(hexamethylene sebacate) membranes

Poly(hexamethylene sebacate) (PHS) which has strong affinity for styrene wa s selected as membrane material, and the characteristics of permeation and separation for the styrene/ethylbenzene mixtures through these PHS cross-li nked with N,N,N',N'-tetraglycidyl m-xylenediamine(TETRA-DX) membrane by per vaporation were investigated. The cross-linked PHS membranes exhibited a st yrene permselectivity for the styrene/ethylbenzene mixtures and the permeat ion rate increased with increasing styrene in the feed solution. The permse lectivity of their membranes was strongly governed by the sorption separati on process depending on the difference of the solubility between styrene an d ethylbenzene. The molecular weight of PHS had also influence to the separ ation factor and permeation rate in pervaporation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.