A NEW SILICON-BASED MATERIAL FORMED BY PYROLYSIS OF SILICON RUBBER AND ITS PROPERTIES AS A MEMBRANE

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A new, highly porous silicon-based membrane was developed by pyrolyzing a silicon-rubber material (polydimethyl siloxane)in two steps. The first step was performed under an inert-gas environment below 800°C. The second step was performed in air below 950°C to oxidize and cross-link Si-O chains. The resulting silicon-based material was highly porous and had a fine pore structure (maximum porosity of 50%, BET surface area of I40m2/g) suitable for hot industrial gas separation even in a highly oxidizing environment. Gas permeability studies were performed at several different temperatures using a material derived by the pyrolysis of commercial silicon-rubber tubes. The results indicated that the flow through the membrane could be adequately explained by the Knudsen diffusion mechanism. The average permeabilities were 10 to 50 times those of porous Vycor glass.