This study deals with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite membranes for propane separation from propane/nitrogen mixtures

which is relevant to the recovery of propane in petroleum and chemical industry. The surface and cross-section morphology of PDMS/PVDF composite membranes was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The surface morphology of PDMS/PVDF composite membranes is very dense. There are three layers

the thin dense top layer

finger-like porous middle layer and sponge-like under layer in the cross-section SEM image of PDMS/PVDF composite membranes. The effects of the types of cross-linking agents and pressure on the membrane permselectivity were investigated. The permeability of nitrogen was independent of feed pressure. However

the permeability of propane increased with the pressure increasing for all membranes. The membrane cured by a tri-functional crosslinker with attached vinyl groups had better performance than the tetra-functional one

in both selectivity and permeation flux. The total permeation flux is 1.769× 10-2 cm3(STP)/(cm2·s) and the separation factor is 19.17 when the mole percent of propane in the gas mixture is 10 at the 0.2 MPa pressure difference and 25°C.