Aging and carbon dioxide plasticization of thin polyetherimide films

Industrial gas separation membranes have selective dense layers with thicknesses around 100 nm. It has long been assumed that these thin layers have the same properties as thick (bulk) films. However, recent research has shown that thin films with such thickness experience accelerated physical aging relative to bulk films and, thus, their permeation properties can differ significantly from the bulk. Thin films made from Extem (R) XH 1015, a new commercial polyetherimide, have been investigated by monitoring their gas permeability. The permeability of the thin films is originally greater than the thick films but eventually decreases well below the permeability of the thick film. The CO2 plasticization of Extem thin films is explored using a series of exposure protocols that indicate CO2 plasticization is a function of film thickness, aging time, exposure time, pressure and prior history. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.