METHODS FOR REGENERATING AGED CARBON MOLECULAR SIEVE MEMBRANES

• Main Authors: Zhang, Chen, Koros, William John
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.02.2019
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; SEPARATION; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods of treating carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes, and in particular CMS hollow fiber membranes, that have undergone aging-induced permeance/permeability loss. By treating aged CMS membranes in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the CMS membranes may be regenerated such that the aging-induced permeance/permeability loss is reversed and the permeance/permeability of the CMS membrane is increased. In some embodiments, the permeance/permeability of the treated CMS membrane may be increased to such a degree that the permeance/permeability of the regenerated CMS membrane is at least as high as the original permeance/permeability of the CMS membrane prior to aging-induced permeance/permeability loss.