Permeation rates of aqueous alcohol solutions in pervaporation through Nafion membranes

Abstract Permeation data of methanol-water and 1-propanol-water mixtures in pervaporation (PV) through Nafion membranes with (CH 3 ) 3 NH + as counter ion were obtained. These data showed that water preferentially permeated in PV in spite of the preferential sorption of alcohols. A new permeation model was proposed based on the free volume theory. The model accounted for the effects of solubility and molecular interactions, such as permeant-polymer interactions, on the permeability. Not only the PV data of methanol-water-Nafion and 1-propanol-water-Nafion systems but also those of ethanol-water-nafion and isopropanol-water-Nafions systems listed in the literature supported the validity of the present model.