Carbon Molecular Sieve Membranes from Acenaphthenequinone-Biphenyl Polymer; Synthesis, Characterization, and Effect on Gas Separation and Transport Properties.

A rigid, high temperature-resistant aromatic polymer, poly(1,1'-biphenyl)-6,8a-dihydroacenaphthylene-1(2H)-one (BDA) comprising acenaphthenequinone and biphenyl was successfully synthesized by superacid catalyzed polymerization. BDA has a high decomposition temperature (T = 520 °C) that renders it a viable candidate for carbon molecular sieve membranes (CMSM) formation. BDA precursor pyrolysis at 600 °C (BDA-P600) leads to a carbon turbostratic structure formation with graphene-like amorphous strands in a matrix with micropores and ultramicropores, resulting in a carbon structure with higher diffusion and higher selectivity than dense BDA.