• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.367-376
• /
• 2011

Huge amount of $CH_4$ mixtures has been emitted from landfills and organic wastes via anaerobic digestion. The recovery of high purity $CH_4$ from these gases has two merits: reduction of green house gases and production of renewable fuels. Membrane technology based on polymeric materials can be used in this application. In this study, asymmetric gas separation hollow fiber membranes were fabricated to develop the membrane-based bio-gas purification process. Polyethersulfone (PES) was chosen as a polymer materials because of high $CO_2$ permeability of 3.4 barrer and $CO_2/CH_4$ selectivity of 50[1]. Acetone was used as a non-solvent additive because of its unique swelling power for PES and highly volatile character. The prepared PES hollow fiber showed excellent separation properties: 36 GPU of $CO_2$ permeance and 46 of $CO_2/CH_4$ selectivity at optimized preparation conditions: 9wt% acetone content, 10cm air-gap and 4wt% PDMS coating processes. With the PES hollow fiber membranes developed, mixed $CO_2/CH_4$ test was done by changing various operating conditions such as pressures and feed compositions to meet the highest recovery of CH4 with 95% purity. High $CH_4$ recovery of 58 wt% was observed at 10 atm feed pressure for the 50 vol% of $CO_2$ in $CO_2/CH_4$ mixture.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.496-502
• /
• 2015

Facilitated transport is one of the possible solutions to simultaneously improve permeability and selectivity, which is challenging in conventional polymer-based membranes. Olefin/paraffin separation using facilitated transport membrane has received much attention as an alternative solution to the conventional distillation process. Herein, we report olefin separation composite membranes based on the polymer blends containing $AgBF_4/Al(NO_3)_3$ mixed salts. Free radical polymerization process was used to synthesize an amphiphilic graft copolymer of poly(dimethyl siloxane)-graft- poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PDMS-g-POEM). In addition, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was introduced to the PDMS-g-POEM graft copolymer to form polymer blends with various ratios. The propylene/propane mixed-gas selectivity and permeance reached up to 5.6 and 10.05 GPU, respectively, when the PEO loading was 70 wt% in polymer blend. The improvement of olefin separation performance was attributed to the olefin facilitating silver ions as well as the highly permeable blend matrix. The stabilization of silver ions in the composite membrane was achieved through the introduction of $Al(NO_3)_3$ which suppressed the reduction of silver ions to silver particles.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.72-76
• /
• 2012

$SF_6$ has an extremely high global worming potential (GWP). Therefore, there has been an effort to reduce the use of $SF_6$ and its emission into atmosphere. One possible solution for minimizing the use of $SF_6$ in electrical equipments is utilization of gas mixtures such as $SF_6/N_2$. The $SF_6$ concentration in the gas mixture varies from 10 to 60%. However, when the apparatus is repaired or dismantled, we have to recover $SF_6$ from the gas mixture. Since the boiling point of $SF_6$is low (${\sim}-60^{\circ}C$), the liquefaction method is difficult to apply. One possible alternative is the membrane separation technology. In this study, we investigated the $SF_6$ and $N_2$ permeation properties of 5 polymeric membranes. For example, permeability of $N_2$ in BOPP membrane at $25^{\circ}C$was 0.19 barrer, whereas that of $SF_6$ was only 0.0012 barrer, resulting in the selectivity of 158. An upper bound for $SF_6/N_2$ gas pair was suggested for the first time with n = -1.33 and k = 160 (barrer).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.57 no.6
• /
• pp.768-773
• /
• 2019

The Fenton reaction, which evaluates the electrochemical durability of polymer membranes of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFC), and the degradation of polymer membranes by OCV holding method are compared. The Fenton reaction is a method that can evaluate the chemical durability of the polymer membrane at outside the cell in a shorter time than the OCV Holding method. The Fenton reaction was carried out at 30% hydrogen peroxide, 10 ppm iron, and $80^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours. OCV Holding was driven at $90^{\circ}C$, 30% relative humidity and OCV for 168 hours. The Fenton reaction caused a lot of degradation inside the polymer membrane. On the other hand, in OCV Holding, the membrane thickness was thinned by the entire surface and internal degradation. The fluorine emission rate was more than 10 times higher than that of OCV Holding due to the Fenton reaction. The hydrogen permeation rate increased about 30% at 24 hours of Fenton reaction. At OCV Holding, hydrogen permeability decreased after 24 hours and then increased. As a whole, there was a difference in a membranes deteriorated by Fenton reaction and OCV Holding.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.253-261
• /
• 2021

Solutions to water pollution, global warming, and climate change have been currently discussed. Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) using a difference in salt concentration between two fluids is proposed to meet the demand for clean water and produce eco-friendly energy. Although PRO has been researched continuously, it has not been commercialized yet due to limitations such as lack of technology and the high price of membranes. Meanwhile, the membrane is one of the most significant parts of the PRO engine and salinity gradient power (SGP) technology. Research continues to technologically develop graphene oxide membranes and nanocomposite membranes used in salinity gradient power generation. Studies on efficient membranes, solvents, and solutes are active to enable high energy efficiency of the osmotic heat engine even at low temperatures of waste. Studies have been conducted on reducing internal concentration polarization and increasing power density by using membranes with balanced permeability and selectivity. In this review, dealing with these studies, we discuss the types of PRO membranes, theoretical modeling of technologies through efficient membranes, and other technologies to develop the process efficiency.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.94-109
• /
• 2023

1,3-Dioxolane is an exciting material that has attracted widespread interest in the chemical, paint, and pharmaceutical industries as a solvent, electrolyte, and reagent because 1,3-dioxolane is not toxic, carcinogenic, explosive, auto-flammable, and multifunctional, and due to their excellent miscibility in most organic and aqueous solvent conditions. Recently, this material has received increasing attention as a CO₂-selective polymer precursor to separating CO₂ from flue gas and natural gas mixtures. Poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDXL) possesses higher ether oxygen content than polyethylene oxide (PEO), which demonstrates superior membrane CO₂/N₂ separation properties owing to their polar ether oxygen groups exhibiting strong affinity toward CO₂. Thus, PDXL-based membranes displayed an outstanding CO₂ solubility selectivity over non-polar (N₂, H₂, and CH₄) gases. However, the polar groups of PDXL, like PEO, promote chain packing efficiency and cause polymer crystallization, thereby reducing its gas permeability, which should be improved. In this short review, we discuss the recent advancement and limitations of PDXL membranes in gas separation applications. To conclude, we provide future perspectives for inhibiting the limits of 1,3-dioxolane-based polymers in the CO₂ separation process.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.130-134
• /
• 2016

How does $CO_2$ affect on the stomatal mechanism? The mechanism of stomatal opening by $CO_2$ is not clear as it is difficult to see $CO_2$ effect on light-induced stomatal opening. Furthermore, stomata may react differently according to the concentration of $CO_2$. The significance of the possible endogenous rhythms must consider to understand on $CO_2$-related response. It is clear that $CO_2$ has an effect on the accumulation of osmotic materials which determines the degree of stomatal apertures because it is known that stomata open in the condition of the reduced $CO_2$ concentration. However, it is not fully understood how $CO_2$ leads to the stomatal opening. It has been thought that $CO_2$ can not affect on the ion fluxes which determines the increase of osmotic potential in guard cells. However, in this study, the changes of guard cell membrane permeability by $CO_2$ have been focused on. There are many reports that $CO_2$ related reactions are dominant when the leaf is exposed to certain a mount of $CO_2$. The hypothesis of the stomatal opening by light is based on the increase of osmotic materials in guard cells including $K^+$, $Cl^-$, sucrose and $malate^{2-}$. It was reported that $CO_2$ induced a big hyperpolarization indicating that $H^+$ was extruded to the cell outside. It was also found that $CO_2$ caused guard cell membrane hyperpolarization in the intact leaf up to 3 or 4 times higher than that of light induced membrane hyperpolarization. These results represent that $CO_2$ can affect on the change of physical characteristics which affects on the change of the membrane permeability.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.102-109
• /
• 1998

To investigate the increased acid tolerance of a acid-resistant mutant Leuconostoc mesenteroides M-100 improved as a kimchi starter, proton permeability, ATPase acitivity, glycolysis activity, $Mg^{2+}$ releasement, and membrane fatty acid composition were studied and comprised with its wild type Leuconostoc mesenteroides Mw. In the proton permeability experiment, the mininum values of the average half time ($t_{1/2}$) of pH equilibration through the cell membrane of the Mw and the M-100 were about 8.6 min and 9.2 min in 150 mM KCI solution, respectivily. In the 3% NaCl solution, the $t_{1/2}$ values of the Mw and the M-100 were 6min and 8.6 min, respectivily. The values and pHs of maximal specific activities of ATPase originated from the Mw and the M-100 were 0.6U at pH 5.5 and 0.8U at pH 5.5, respectivily. The result of pH dependence of glycolysis showed that the M-100 had higher activities than that of Mw except at pH 5.0. The releases of magnesium from the Mw and the M-100 were observed about 36.5% and 13% at pH 4.0 after 2 hours, respectivily. The results of comparison of membrane fatty acid composition of the Mw with the M-100 showed that $C_{12}$, $C_{14}$, $C_{18:1}$, and $C_{19:0cyclo}$ were major different fatty acids between two strains and the content of $C_{18:1}$, and $C_{19:0cyclo}$ were 23.4%, 10.2% in the Mw and 15.1%, 12.2% in the M-100. These results indicated that acid tolerance of the M-100 was significantly improved in comparison with its wild type Mw.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.71-81
• /
• 1988

Glutamate and aspartate may evoke an increase in membrane permeability to monovalent cations and $Ca^{++}$. However, it is uncertain whether $Ca^{++}$ influx is mediated by voltage dependent $Ca^{++}$ channels or by excitatory amino acid activated channels. In addition, the influences of excitatory amino acids on $Ca^{++}$ uptake by neuronal tissues as well as the responses of their actions to extracellular $Mg^{++}$ concentration are different. $K^{+}$ induced $Ca^{++}$ uptake by synaptosomes was dependent on extracellular $Mg^{++}$ up to 5 mM and at concentration of 10 mM, $Ca^{++}$ influx was rather reduced. In $Na^{+}$ rich media, glutamate-and aspartate-induced $Ca^{++}$ uptake was increased by $Mg^{++}$ in a dose independent manner. However, the response for NMDA was inhibited by $Mg^{++}$ at concentrations above 2 mM. $K^+$-and glutamate-induced $Ca^{++}$ influx s were inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol, chlorprom-azine and verapamil but not by tetraethylammonium chloride. Tetrodotoxin effectively inhibited the action of glutamate but did not affect that of $K^+$. The response for MNDA was inhibited by 2, 4-dinitrophenol and tetrodotoxin, slightly inhibited by verapamil, and not affected by tetraethylammonium chloride. In $Na^{++}$ rich medium, depolarizing action of glutamate, aspartate and MNDA on synaptosomes was not demonstrated, whereas these agents stimulated $Ca^{++}$ uptake and caused $Ca^{++}$ influx induced depolarization at mitochondria. On the other hand, the activities of synaptosomal ATPases were not affected by excitatory amino acids at 5 mM. The results suggest that glutamate or NMDA induced $Ca^{++}$ influx at synaptosomes exhibits different responses for extracellular $Mg^{++}$ Ex citatory amino acids induced $Ca^{++}$ influx at synaptosomes may be associated with increased permeability of membrane for $Na^{++}$ and $Ca^{++}$ except $K^{++}$ and membrane depolarization due to increased ionic permeability.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.275-282
• /
• 1998

To investigate the increased acid tolerance of a acid-resistant mutant Leuconostoc paramesenteroides P-100 improved as a kimchi starter, proton permeability, ATPase acitivity, glycolysis activity, $Mg^2$sup +/ releasement, and membrane fatty acid composition were studied and comprised with its wild type Leuconostoc paramesenteroides Pw. In the proton permeability experiment, the maximum values of the average half time (t$\_$1/2/) of pH equilibration through the cell membrane of the Pw and the P-100 were about 6.4 min and 7.8 min in 150 mM KCI solution, respectively. In the 3% NaCl solution, the t$\_$1/2/ values of the Pw and the P-100 were 5.5 min and 6.9 min, respectively. The values and pHs of maximal specific activities of ATPase originated from the Pw and the P-100 were 0.5 unit/mg protein and 0.78 unit/mg protein at pH 6.0, respectively. The result of pH dependence of glycolysis showed that the P-100 had higher activities than that of Pw except at pH 7.0. The releases of magnesium from the Pw and the P-100 were observed about 54.5% and 23.2% at pH 4.0 after 2 hours, respectively. The results of comparison of membrane fatty acid composition of the Pw with the P-100 showed that C$\_$8:0/, C$\_$9:0/, C$\_$10:0/, C$\_$11:0/, C$\_$18:0/, and C$\_$19:0,cyclo/ were major different fatty acids between two strains and the content of C$\_$18:1/, and C$\_$19:0,cyclo/ were 2.8%, N.D (not detected) in the Pw and 0.4%, 2.3% in the P-100. These results indicated that acid tolerance of the P-100 was significantly improved in comparison with its wild type Pw.