PERVAPORATION CHARACTERISTICS OF METHYL METHACRYLATE-METHACRYLIC ACIDCOPOLYMER MEMBRANES IONICALLY CROSS-LINKED WITH METAL-IONS FOR A BENZENE CYCLOHEXANE MIXTURE/

Methyl methacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer (MMA-MAA) membranes ion ically crosslinked with Fe3+ and Co2+ ions (MMA-MAA-Fe3+ and -Co2+) we re prepared, and characteristics of permeation and separation for a be nzene/cyclohexane mixture of 50 wt % benzene through these membranes i n pervaporation (PV) were studied. Although the introduction of the me tal ions to the MMA-MAA membrane enhanced both benzene permselectivity and permeability for a benzene/cyclohexane mixture, the PV characteri stics between the MMA-MAA-Fe3+ and -Co2+ membranes were significantly different. The difference in the PV characteristics between these memb ranes was strongly governed by the difference of these membrane struct ures based on the glass transition temperature, contact angle to methy lene iodide, degree of swelling, and mixture composition absorbed in t he membrane, and so on. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.