CO2 capture from Natural and Flue gases using
Polymeric membranes
Sarah Hafeez
PhD-03
Sarah@scme.nust.edu.pk
Green House effect is one of the world’s major environmental issues. It is difficult
to completely eliminate effects of global warming, but there are some options which can
be helpful in eliminating green house gases.CO2 is the main green house gas so CO2
capture from Flue and Natural gases can reduce global warming. Various methods are
introduced for CO2 capture such as amine solvent and gas separation membrane
technology. A lot of work has been done in amine solvent technology, but membrane
technology is still immature.
Membrane gas separation (MGS) is the pressure driven process with different
industrial applications and represent only a small fraction of potential applications in
refineries and chemical industries. With the serial production of commercial polymeric
membranes since 1980, MGS has rapidly become a competitive separation technology. Up
until now the commercial membranes material for gas separation has basically been
polymers like poly imides, polyamides and cellulose acetates. All these membranes have
good permeability for carbon dioxide, but lack in selectivity or vice versa.
Gas separation membranes are based on SolutionDiffusion model. These membranes are non-porous. Gas
separation membranes follow the Fick’s Law of Diffusion,
written as
𝐽𝑖 =
𝑃𝑖
𝑚3 (𝑆𝑇𝑃)
.
𝑥
−
𝑝
.
𝑦
[
]
(𝑝ℎ 𝑖,0
𝑙 𝑝,𝑖 )
𝑙
𝑚2 . ℎ
Figure1.Solution-Diffusion of gases
In the view of above, there is a need to synthesize
polymeric membranes which can capture CO2 with high
permeability and selectivity. The objectives of my research
work are given below.
 The proposed research will help in developing
new polymeric membranes and establish new
experimental facility to investigate membrane
based gas separation processes.

Different polymeric materials will be
Figure 2.Morphology of membrane




investigated to identify the suitable material / compositions / additives for gas
separation membranes.
Polymeric membranes for both; Post combustion (CO2 capture from flue gases) and
Pre -combustion (CO2 capture from Natural gas) application would be developed.
The successful completion of this work will persuade the process industry to employ
membrane based CO2 capture technology to reduce the CO2 emissions. The ICI
Pakistan has already shown its interest in the proposed research.
The proposed research work and new experimental facility will help to train the
students/researchers and impart the knowledge of membrane based gas separation
process.
SCME, NUST will have a dedicated experimental facility on membrane based gas
separation.
The success of this research project will not only provide an excellent research facility in
this scientific area but also contribute in enhancement of fuel efficiency and prevention of
global warming.