Prediction of sorption and flux of solvents through PDMS membrane

Prediction method of permeation flux and sorption characteristics in pervaporation through a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane was suggested. The amount of sorption and permeation flux of chloroform, toluene, methanol, and n-butanol were calculated using this method and compared with experimental data. The calculated values of permeation flux and the amount of sorption of good solvents, i.e. toluene and chloroform, were in fairly good agreement with the experimental data. The lower the density of PDMS membrane, the more the permeation flux and sorption quantity. However, the experimental data of poor solvents, i.e. methanol and n-butanol, were quite different from the calculated values. It is shown that the prediction method suggested in this study might be useful for predicting the sorption and permeation flux through the membrane. The prediction method might especially be helpful to design the pervaporation membrane system, as it does not need adjustable parameter or experimental data.