Porous asymmetric membranes were prepared from polyetherimide polymer by the phase-inversion technique under different conditions. The performance of the membranes was tested for the removal of acetone vapour from nitrogen. A membrane which showed a high acetone permeability and a high selectivity was chosen and tested further for the separation of different organic vapours from nitrogen. The molecular structure of organic vapours and the selectivity were correlated. A strong correlation was also found between the chromatographic retention time of the organic vapour and the selectivity. These experimental results led to the conclusion that the sorption is the factor governing the separation of volatile organic compounds from nitrogen. A membrane was also prepared by coating the surface of a porous polyetherimide membrane with silicone rubber. The performance of membranes with and without silicone rubber coating was compared.

• Deng S.(Industrial Membrane Research Institute, Department of Chemical Engineering University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Canada, KIN 6N5)
• Lang K.(Industrial Membrane Research Institute, Department of Chemical Engineering University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Canada, KIN 6N5)
• Wang J.(Industrial Membrane Research Institute, Department of Chemical Engineering University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Canada, KIN 6N5)
• Tremblay A.(Industrial Membrane Research Institute, Department of Chemical Engineering University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Canada, KIN 6N5)
• Matsuura T.(Industrial Membrane Research Institute, Department of Chemical Engineering University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Canada, KIN 6N5)