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Inorganic Microporous Membranes for Gas Separation in Fossil Fuel ...

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3 Experimental<br />

Element analysis<br />

The carbon content of the DOH crystals and sol-gel derived sols and bulk materials was<br />

obta<strong>in</strong>ed by combust<strong>in</strong>g the sample with the use of radiofrequency heat<strong>in</strong>g (2300ºC) <strong>in</strong> an<br />

oxygen flow with combust<strong>in</strong>g additives. The quantity of combusted carbon was<br />

determ<strong>in</strong>ed by means of Infrared (Leco CS 600). Nitrogen content <strong>in</strong> the DOH crystals<br />

and sol-gel derived bulk materials was determ<strong>in</strong>ed by thermal conductivity detection, the<br />

<strong>in</strong>organic samples were heated <strong>in</strong> helium flow by means of resistance heat<strong>in</strong>g (Leco TCH<br />

600). The metal ion impurities <strong>in</strong> the DOH zeolite crystals were studied with Inductively<br />

Coupled Plasma with Optical Emission Spectroscopy (TJA-IRIS-INTREPID).<br />

Static corrosion tests were per<strong>for</strong>med <strong>in</strong> nitric acid and sodium hydroxide at a pH rang<strong>in</strong>g<br />

from 1 to 13 by stirr<strong>in</strong>g the suspension of the sol/gel derived bulk materials fired at 400,<br />

500 and 600ºC. Corrosion tests were carried out at room temperature <strong>for</strong> 8 days.<br />

3.4.2 <strong>Microporous</strong> membrane characterisation<br />

Scann<strong>in</strong>g and Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM-TEM)<br />

Surface and cross section SEM analysis were per<strong>for</strong>med us<strong>in</strong>g a LEO 1530 (Gem<strong>in</strong>i)<br />

electron microscope. Electron energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) was used <strong>for</strong><br />

qualitative analysis of the powder. TEM <strong>in</strong>vestigations were per<strong>for</strong>med us<strong>in</strong>g a Philips<br />

CM200 or a Tecnai F20 G 2 operat<strong>in</strong>g at 200 kV.<br />

Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy<br />

The <strong>in</strong>filtration depth of DEA sols was studied by means of Secondary Ion Mass<br />

Spectroscopy (SIMS). By repeatedly sputter<strong>in</strong>g the membrane surface with argon the<br />

chemical composition could be determ<strong>in</strong>ed at various depths. Profiles were obta<strong>in</strong>ed with<br />

a resolution of ~0.4 nm. The chemical composition was determ<strong>in</strong>ed to be <strong>in</strong> an area of<br />

0.01 mm 2 <strong>in</strong>side a crater of 0.09-0.16 mm 2 exclud<strong>in</strong>g edge effects.<br />

Raman spectroscopy<br />

The Raman spectroscopy measurements were made us<strong>in</strong>g a Horiba Job<strong>in</strong> Yvon<br />

SpexT64000 system equipped with two scann<strong>in</strong>g mechanisms, one <strong>for</strong> the<br />

<strong>for</strong>emonochromator and another one <strong>for</strong> the spectrograph. The SpexT64000 is equipped<br />

with 1800 grooves/mm grat<strong>in</strong>gs. The 488 nm l<strong>in</strong>e of an Ar + ion laser (COHERENT<br />

Innova® 300C Series) was used <strong>for</strong> the probes excitation. The spectra were collected <strong>in</strong> a<br />

backscatter<strong>in</strong>g geometry with a confocal Raman microscope equipped with an Olympus<br />

MPlan 50x objective. The detection of the Raman signal was carried out with a CCD<br />

detector operat<strong>in</strong>g at -196°C. The probes were also measured us<strong>in</strong>g a Raman micro<br />

spectrometer (Horiba Job<strong>in</strong> Yvon, model LabRam) us<strong>in</strong>g the 514.5 nm excitation l<strong>in</strong>e<br />

47

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