Wetting mechanism of a PVDF hollow fiber membrane in immersed membrane contactors for CO2 capture in the presence of monoethanolamine

Abstract

As an emerging technology, membrane gas absorption (MGA) contactors for carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture exhibit great advantages compared to conventional chemical CO₂ absorption processes. However, the decline in membrane flux, caused by the membrane's wetting, is a serious technical problem. In this study, to better understand the wetting mechanism of a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane in an immersed membrane contactor for CO₂ capture, a 30 day operation of CO₂ absorption was conducted, in which, 2 M monoethanolamine (MEA) solution and deionized water were used as the absorbents. The results showed that the presence of MEA in the absorbent solution aggravated the wetting phenomenon, thus significantly decreasing the membrane flux and membrane hydrophobicity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) analyses for the wetted membranes proved that no chemical reactions occurred between the MEA and the membrane. Furthermore, no hydrophobic components of the wetted membrane dissolved in the MEA solution. Instead, the presence of MEA was observed in the cross-linked network of the membrane wetted by the MEA absorbent. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images of the outer surfaces of the wetted membranes suggested that the membrane morphologies changed and the membrane walls thickened, especially for the membrane wetted by the MEA absorbent. Both the presence of MEA molecules in the cross-linked network of the wetted membrane and the thickening of the membrane wall were important characteristics of membrane swelling. The changes in mechanical strengths of the wetted membranes also testified that membrane swelling occurred. Based on the above results, it was concluded that the membrane swelling caused the membrane wetting in the immersed PVDF membrane contactor for CO₂ capture, and the presence of MEA in the absorbent further aggravated the process of membrane swelling.