ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews some of the most and advanced polymeric and inorganic materials in the development of membranes aimed for the removal of CO2 from natural gas mixtures. It discusses the structural modifications involved to further enhance the performance of novel polymers including the introduction of CO2-philic functional groups for higher solubility and tailoring the polymer backbone with bulky side group and rigid chemical bonds. Thermally-Rearranged polymers composed of rigid-rod structures with high-torsional energy barriers to rotation between phenylene-heterocyclic rings. The state-of-the-art organic–inorganic hybrid membranes or mixed matrix membranes would also possess enhanced physical, thermal and mechanical properties which could withstand the aggressive and harsh environments in natural gas processing. Despite the attractive gas transport properties of most microporous inorganic materials such that zeolites, metal organic frameworks, carbon nanotubes and graphene, free standing membranes derived from its constituent material could only be formed in small scale.
