Performance tuning of surface modified ceria based mixed matrix membrane for effective CO2 separation

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) with enhanced selectivity and permeability are investigated by incorporating deep eutectic solvents (DES) functionalized CeO2 as fillers. DES is well known owing to the intrinsic benefits of low cost, environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and CO2 philic nature. Characterization confirms the collaboration of polymer and functional CeO2 fillers. Experiments of gas separation show that the introduction of DES-modified CeO2 fillers (2%-15%) significantly improves CO2 penetrability from 27 to 48 Barrer. The ideal separation factor of CO2/CH4 and CO2/N-2 also increases from 46 to 62 and 60 to 86, respectively, with increasing filler percentage. MMMs correspond to the superior gas separation performance compared with DES liquid membranes. The collaboration between DES-treated CeO2 and CO2 contributes to the improved results. The fabricated MMM films are tested under operating parameters, confirming the potential of ceria modified fillers for CO2 capture applications. This research reveals the advancements achieved by incorporating DES-functionalized CeO2 fillers in MMMs, enhancing selectivity and permeability for CO2 capture. These findings correspond to the development of effective and viable membrane technologies for various industrial applications.