Amine-functionalized CuBTC/poly(ether-b-amide-6) (Pebax® MH 1657) mixed matrix membranes for CO2 /CH4 separation

Abstract CuBTC and NH 2 ‐CuBTC metal organic frameworks (MOF) were used to produce mixed matrix membranes (MMM) with a block copolymer of poly(ether‐b‐amide‐6) (Pebax ® MH 1657) as the polymer matrix to investigate the effect of amine functionalized group (–NH 2 ) on the CO 2 /CH 4 gas separation performance of the MMM. The MOF were fully characterized by XRD, FTIR‐ATR, TGA, N 2 , CO 2 , and CH 4 adsorption, while the MMM were characterized using FTIR‐ATR, TGA, DSC, and SEM. Permeability and selectivity of the MMM were studied at different MOF mass contents (5 to 20 g/g) and feed pressures (0.3 to 1.5 MPa) for pure and mixed gases. The CO 2 permeability for 20 g/g of both Pebax/CuBTC and Pebax/NH 2 ‐CuBTC MMMs was nearly twice that of the neat polymeric membrane, while the presence of amine functionalized group in NH 2 ‐CuBTC produced an increasing trend of CO 2 /CH 4 ideal selectivity at high NH 2 ‐CuBTC loading and about a 60 % increase was observed at 20 g/g of NH 2 ‐CuBTC.