ENHANCED DUAL PHASE MEMBRANES FOR SEPARATING CARBON FROM CARBON-CONTAINING FEED GASES AND SEPARATION METHODS USING THE SAME

Abstract

Dual phase membranes include a porous support providing a solid phase having a matrix of connected pores, and a liquefiable ion transport phase within the pores of the porous support. The ion transport phase is formed of at least one alkali metal hydroxide, and at least one oxide ion transport agent providing a source of ions selected from the group consisting of borate ions, nitrate ions, phosphate ions, vanadate ions, niobate ions or sulfate ions. The at least one alkali metal hydroxide may be selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, LiOH, RbOH, CsOH and mixtures thereof. The oxide ion transport agent is preferably present in the ion transport phase in an amount between about 1 to about 30 molar %. Substantially lower operational temperatures may be realized when the membrane is used to separate CO2 from a feed gas.

Claims

1. A dual phase separation membrane comprising: a porous support providing a solid phase having a matrix of connected pores; and a liquefiable ion transport phase within the pores of the porous support, wherein the ion transport phase comprises: (i) at least one alkali metal hydroxide, and (ii) at least one oxide ion transport agent providing a source of ions selected from the group consisting of borates, nitrates, phosphates, vanadates, niobates, and sulfates.

2. The dual phase membrane according to claim 1, wherein the at least one oxide ion transport agent is a compound in a meta, ortho, pyro or poly state.

3. The dual phase membrane according to claim 1, wherein the at least one oxide ion transport agent is an alkali or an alkaline earth metal salt of a borate, nitrate, phosphate, vanadate, niobate or sulfate.

4. The dual phase membrane according to claim 1, wherein the at least one alkali metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, LiOH, RbOH, CsOH and mixtures thereof.

5. The dual phase membrane according to claim 1, wherein the ion transport phase comprises a melt temperature depression component in a molar amount sufficient to depress operational temperatures of the membrane to about 100 C. or above.

6. The dual phase membrane according to claim 5, wherein the melt temperature depression component comprises at least one alkali earth metal hydroxide, at least one alkali metal nitrate and/or at least one alkali earth metal nitrate. 7 The dual phase membrane according to claim 6, wherein the melt temperature depression component comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Be(OH).sub.2, Mg(OH).sub.2, Ca(OH).sub.2, Sr(OH).sub.2, Ba(OH).sub.2, LiNO.sub.3, NaNO.sub.3, KNO.sub.3, RbNO.sub.3, CsNO.sub.3, Be(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Mg(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Ca(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Sr(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Ba(NO.sub.3).sub.2 and mixtures thereof.

8. The dual phase membrane according to claim 1, wherein the membrane has an operational temperature within a range of about 100 C. to about 500 C.

9. The dual phase membrane according to claim 1, wherein the oxide ion transport agent is present in the ion transport phase in an amount between about 1 to about 30 molar %.

10. The dual phase membrane according to claim 1, wherein the porous support is comprised of a metal or ceramic material.

11. The dual phase membrane according to claim 10, wherein the porous support is comprised of at least one material selected from the group consisting of nickel-chromium based alloys, stainless steels, zirconium oxides, cerium oxides, magnesium oxides, aluminum oxides, lanthanum oxides, samarium oxides, gadolinium oxides, iron oxides, calcium carbonates, silicon oxides and silicon carbides.

12. The dual phase membrane according to claim 1, wherein the pores have an average pore size of about 10 nm up to about 1 mm.

13. A process to separate a gaseous species from a feed gas, the process comprising: (a) contacting a surface of the dual phase membrane according to claim 1 with a feed gas containing a gaseous species to be separated therefrom at an operational temperature sufficient to render the ion transport phase molten; and (b) allowing the gaseous species to be transported through the molten ion transport phase to an opposite surface of the membrane.

14. The process according to claim 13, wherein the feed gas comprises a concentration of CO.sub.2.

15. The process according to claim 13, which further comprises contacting the opposite surface of the membrane with a sweep gas.

16. The process according to claim 15, wherein the sweep gas is steam.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the steam sweep gas results in a CO2 concentration in the steam sweep gas exiting the membrane that is greater than a concentration of CO2 in the feed gas.

18. The process according to claim 13, wherein the at least one oxide ion transport agent is a compound in a meta, ortho, pyro or poly state.

19. The process according to claim 13, wherein the at least one oxide ion transport agent is an alkali or an alkaline earth metal salt of a borate, nitrate, phosphate, vanadate, niobate or sulfate.

20. The process according to claim 13, wherein the at least one alkali metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, LiOH, RbOH, CsOH and mixtures thereof.

21. The process according to claim 13, wherein steps (a) and (b) are practiced at an operational temperature within a range of about 100 C. to about 500 C.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Reference will be made to the accompanying drawing Figures, wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a highly schematic cross-sectional view of a dual phase active separation membrane in accordance with an embodiment of the invention described herein; and

[0017] FIG. 2 is a graph plotting CO.sub.2 permeability (mol/m.Math.s.Math.Pa) through dual phase membranes versus temperature ( C.) using various liquid phases in accordance with the prior art (Comparative) and in accordance with certain specific embodiments of the invention as described in the Examples below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] As used herein and in the accompanying claims, the term dual phase membrane means a gas separation membrane that necessarily includes a solid phase and a liquid phase at the operational temperatures of the membrane. As is shown in FIG. 1, a dual phase membrane 10 is provided with a solid phase 12 and a liquid phase 14 at the operational temperatures of the membrane 10. Thus, the solid phase 12 confers a structural form factor to the membrane, provides mechanical support, and establishes a contiguous pore structure that retains the liquid phase with capillary action. The liquid phase 14 is a non-volatile liquid at the operational temperatures of the membrane that selectively transports gases from one side 10a of the membrane (feed gas or retentate side) to the other side 10b of the membrane (sweep gas or permeate side) through absorption, diffusion/conduction, and desorption processes. The carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in a feed gas (arrow AF) flowing in contact with feed gas side 10a of the membrane 12 will thereby permeate through the liquid phase 14 of the membrane 12 as a carbonate (CO.sub.3.sup.2), bicarbonate (HCO.sub.3.sub.), or related ionic species and be captured in the sweep gas (arrow As), typically steam, flowing in contact with the sweep gas side 10b of the membrane 12.

[0019] The specifics of the solid and liquid phases will be described in greater detail hereinbelow.

A. Porous Support/Solid Phase

[0020] The porous support or solid phase 12 of the dual phase membrane according to the embodiments disclosed herein may be virtually any solid porous structure that can be employed in solid phase/liquid phase membranes at their operational temperature and pressure conditions. Thus, for example, the porous support or solid phase 12 may be formed of a suitable metal or ceramic material that is capable of withstanding the operational temperatures and pressure gradients in the system with which the dual phase membrane is to be used (e.g., temperatures of up to about 700 C.). For example, the porous support or solid phase 12 may comprise a porous metal or metal aerogel formed of or comprising Inconel nickel-chromium based superalloys, stainless steels (e.g., grade 316 SS), and the like as well as porous ceramics or ceramic aerogels formed of or comprising zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, lanthanum oxides, samarium oxides, gadolinium oxides, iron oxides, calcium carbonates and silicon oxides or carbides.

[0021] Regardless of the material from which it is formed, the solid phase 12 will define numerous connected open cell pores thereby establishing a continuous tortuous path from one side or face 10a of the solid phase 12 to the other opposite side or face 10b thereof. The pores may have substantially the same average diameters throughout the thickness of the solid phase. Alternatively, the pores may have varying pore size throughout the cross-sectional thickness of the solid phase 12. For example, for those embodiments that employ a pore size gradient, the pores having a relatively larger pore size may be located in regions of the solid phase 12 in proximity to one of the two outer faces 10a, 10b thereof such that the pores having a relatively smaller pore size may be located on the opposite face.

[0022] The particular pore size employed is not critical and the selection of any specific pore size(s) will be dependent on a number of operational factors well known to the skilled person in this art, including the operational temperature conditions and pressure gradients (if any) employed during use which in turn will impart stress to the solid phase. The solid phase may therefore advantageously be provided with pore sizes that range from about 1 nm up to about 100 m, for example, from about 3 nm to about 10 m, or from about 10 nm to about 1 m or even from about 30 nm to about 300 nm.

[0023] The thickness of the solid phase 12 and hence the thickness of the membrane can likewise be selected so as to withstand the temperature and pressure conditions of the membrane during use and to facilitate the mass transport through the membrane. Thus, the solid phase (and hence the membrane itself) can have a thickness of between about 30 m to about 1 cm, advantageously between about 100 m to about 3 mm, e.g., from about 300 m to about 1 mm.

B. Ion Transport (Liquefiable) Phase

[0024] As noted previously, the ion transport phase 14 will be contained within the pores of the solid porous support phase 12. According to the embodiments disclosed herein, the ion transport phase 14 will necessarily be molten (liquefied) at the operational temperature conditions of the membrane 10, e.g., at temperatures of 100 C. or greater, typically at temperatures of 125 C. or greater. In use, therefore, the ion transport phase 14 will include at least one molten alkali metal hydroxide and one or more oxide transfer agents dispersed throughout the alkali metal hydroxide.

[0025] Molten alkali metal hydroxides may in practice be one or more molten alkali metal hydroxides selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, LiOH, RbOH, CsOH and mixtures thereof. Preferably, mixtures of the alkali metal hydroxides will be eutectic such that the entire mixture melts as a whole as opposed to individual components melting individually under different conditions such as temperature and pressure at the lowest possible melting temperature over all possible mixing ratios for the involved species.

[0026] The operational temperatures of the membrane 10 may be lowered further, e.g., to as low as about 125 C. or even as low as about 100 C., by the addition of melt temperature depression components to the ion transport phase 14 that lower the melting temperature by solvation or dilution effects. Such preferred melt temperature depression components may, for example, be alkali earth metal hydroxides such as, for example, Be(OH).sub.2, Mg(OH).sub.2, Ca(OH).sub.2, Sr(OH).sub.2, Ba(OH).sub.2 and mixtures thereof. Further, alkali and alkali earth metal nitrates, such as LiNO.sub.3, NaNO.sub.3, KNO.sub.3, RbNO.sub.3, CsNO.sub.3, Be(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Mg(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Ca(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Sr(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Ba(NO.sub.3).sub.2 and mixtures thereof can also be added to the molten alkali metal hydroxides of the ion transport phase 14 to establish a lower melting temperature molten liquid for CO.sub.2.

[0027] One technical challenge with achieving CO.sub.2 separation at the low temperatures of between about 125 C. to about 300 C. is associated with CO.sub.2 absorption by the molten hydroxides of the ion transport phase 14. The conversion of alkali and alkali earth metal hydroxides to alkali and alkali earth metal carbonates through CO.sub.2 absorption is, however, strongly favored thermodynamically. A characterizing feature of the embodiments disclosed herein therefore is the inclusion of oxide ion transfer agents that catalyze or buffer the oxide ion transfer reactions associated with the absorption, diffusion, and desorption of CO.sub.2 for transport through the ion transport phase 14 of the membrane 10 as carbonate-based species.

[0028] The herein disclosed embodiments will therefore also necessarily include such oxide ion transfer agents in addition to the molten alkali metal hydroxide and/or molten alkali metal hydroxide-nitrate based liquid phases. The oxide ion transfer agents may therefore be provided by virtually any compound that provides in use a source of anions selected from the group consisting of borate ions, nitrate ions, phosphate ions, vanadate ions, niobate ions and/or sulfate ions. Preferred oxide ion transfer agents therefore may be alkali metal borates, nitrates, phosphates, vanadates, niobates and/or sulfates. The oxide ion transfer agents employed herein will therefore possess favorable solubilities at relevant low temperatures, suitable Lux-Flood acid/base chemistry regarding O.sup.2 ions, CO.sub.2 absorption and desorption catalytic effects, and other effects that enhance CO.sub.2 permeation rates. In general, these oxide ion transfer agents will be dispersed throughout the liquid phase.

[0029] The oxide ion transfer agents of borates, nitrates, phosphates, vanadates, niobates and/or sulfates will typically be present in the ion transport (liquefiable) phase in a molar amount of between about 1 to about 30 molar %, typically between about 4 to about 20 molar %, and most preferably between about 8 molar % to about 16 molar %.

[0030] C. Separation Processes

As discussed briefly above, the molten salt of the liquid phase selectively sorbs and transports target gases across the membrane 10. For example, in the separation of carbon dioxide from gas mixtures, the CO.sub.2 is generally absorbed as the CO.sub.3.sup.2 ion through CO.sub.2+O.sup.2.fwdarw.CO.sub.3.sup.2, although polycarbonate, bicarbonate, and other species related to the carbonate state may also exist under various conditions. As CO.sub.3.sup.2 is transported from one side 10a of the membrane 10 to the other side 10b and then desorbed as CO.sub.2, the O.sup.2 ions need to be transported through some mechanism in the opposite direction to maintain mass and charge balance across the membrane 10.

[0031] Since molten salts based on hydroxides and carbonates are among the fastest conductors of ions through the condensed (solid or liquid) phase at a given temperature, the dual phase membranes can now achieve significantly improved separation properties in terms of permeability and selectivity in comparison with all other currently known membrane proposals in this art. Properly designed, prepared, and operated dual phase membranes in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein may achieve selectivities of >1,000 for CO.sub.2 over relatively inert gases, such as nitrogen (N.sub.2), oxygen (O.sub.2), and argon (Ar).

[0032] The operation of dual phase membranes 10 in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein may advantageously be used in combination with a steam sweep. The steam is used to sweep the CO.sub.2 from the permeate side 10b of the membrane 10, which facilitates additional CO.sub.2 permeation by lowering the CO.sub.2 concentration in the permeate. In some cases, the presence of H.sub.2O can enhance CO.sub.2 permeation through chemical effects. If the dual phase membrane is dependent on the counter current transport of CO.sub.3.sup.2 and OH.sup. through the equilibrium reaction of K.sub.2CO.sub.3+H.sub.2O.Math.2 KOH+CO.sub.2, then the steam can help balance the ratio of carbonate to hydroxide so that neither the CO.sub.3.sup.2 nor OH.sup. concentrations in the liquid phase are too low to significantly limit separation rates. In some cases, the coupling of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O gas absorption and CO.sub.3.sup.2 and OH.sup. transport may enable the newly disclosed advancement to an active transport membrane mechanism. A membrane active transport mechanism uses the coupled transport of a high-concentration species (H.sub.2O of the steam) to thermodynamically force or accelerate the membrane separation of a lower concentration species (CO.sub.2 of the flue gas).

[0033] Thermodynamics theoretically could drive CO.sub.2 permeation until the ratio of CO.sub.2 to H.sub.2O in the steam sweep matches the ratio of CO.sub.2 to H.sub.2O in the feed gas, however, this ratio may be lower in practice. For example, the exhaust of nearly complete natural gas combustion has a ratio of about 1 CO.sub.2 per 2 H.sub.2O and so the composition of the steam sweep could approach a 1 CO.sub.2 per 2 H.sub.2O ratio. At a minimum, any concentration of CO.sub.2 in the steam sweep greater than the concentration of CO2 in the feed gas would be sufficient to demonstrate the existence of an active transport mechanism. The temperature of the CO.sub.2-rich steam sweep can be lowered to induce the subsequent separation of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O by condensing the steam to water. Depending on how the dual phase membranes as disclosed herein and steam sweep are integrated into a power plant or other source of CO.sub.2, carbon can be captured with capital and operating (e.g. energy) costs that are significantly lower than state of the art carbon capture technologies.

[0034] As briefly noted above, the operational temperatures of conventional dual phase membranes for carbon capture were initially limited to temperatures 550 C. because of the thermal requirements for solid oxide ion conduction. The incorporation of alkali metal hydroxides and steam sweeps lowered the operational temperatures to 400 C., which generally corresponds to the temperature that ternary eutectic of (Li.sub.43.5Na.sub.31.5K.sub.25).sub.2CO.sub.3 freezes when the hydroxides of the electrolyte fully convert to carbonate. The dual phase membrane does function at relevant levels when the liquid phase partially or completely freezes and mass transfer through the liquid phase is inhibited. The Lux-Flood acid/base equilibria must be buffered or otherwise controlled at lower temperatures to keep the liquid phase liquidous temperature below the operational temperature by limiting how much hydroxide is converted to carbonate.

[0035] The target high permeation performances and low operational temperatures have not been achievable solely with other combinations of alkali metal (Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, Rb.sup.+, Cs.sup.+) hydroxides. As noted above, in some cases, alkali earth metal (Be.sup.2+, Mg.sup.2+, Ca.sup.2+, Sr.sup.2+, and Ba.sup.2+) hydroxides can be incorporated in mixtures with alkali metal hydroxides and alkali metal hydroxide-nitrate mixtures so as to lower operational temperatures. For example, a liquid phase based on a mixture of barium, sodium, and potassium can enable membrane operational temperatures of 300 C. In such cases, an O.sup.2 ion catalyst can improve gas separation rates by bypassing the kinetic barriers of CO.sub.2 absorption at the lower operational temperatures. An O.sup.2 ion buffering agent is needed to control the extent of hydroxide conversion to carbonate through Lux-Flood acid/base equilibria so that the carbonate concentration is great enough to support high CO.sub.2 permeation rates, but not high enough to increase the liquid phase liquidous temperature above the operational temperature. A suitable O.sup.2 ion buffering agent will likely also perform the catalytic O.sup.2 ion transfer effects if it can dissolve in molten hydroxides and hydroxide-nitrate systems at a few mol % or greater concentrations without significantly increasing the liquidous temperature.

[0036] A more advanced compliment of liquid phase components and additives are needed to catalyze O.sup.2 transfer and adapt the Lux-Flood acid/base equilibria for a given operational temperature. The embodiments disclosed herein therefore embrace the relevant ranges of electrolyte compositions suitable for various carbon capture applications. As previously discussed, compounds providing sources of ions selected from the group consisting of borates, nitrates, phosphates, vanadates, niobates, and sulfates may be added to the ion transport (liquid) phase of the dual phase membrane as oxide ion transfer agents to improve performance or function. The liquid phase will therefore be based on a solvent of molten hydroxides and/or nitrates that will include a concentration of carbonates during the course of operation or use.

[0037] The liquid phase may also include significant concentrations of nitrates or sulfates either through formulation or through use upon exposure to feed gases that also include nitrogen oxide or sulfur oxide gases. Aside from using the alkali metal and alkali earth metal cations to manage the liquid phase melting temperatures and acid/base effects, anions of borates, nitrates, phosphates, vanadates, niobates and/or sulfates are added to control the O.sup.2 catalytic effects and Lux-Flood acid/base equilibria for optimal CO.sub.2 sorption via CO.sub.2+O.sup.2.Math.CO.sub.3.sup.2. These components are sufficiently soluble in molten hydroxide and nitrate solvents and affect oxide ion transfer and equilibria through the meta, ortho, and pyro (or related poly) states. For example, metaphosphate (PO.sub.3.sub.) accepts oxide ions to form orthophosphate (PO.sub.4.sup.3) or pyrophosphate (P.sub.2O.sub.7.sup.4) according to PO.sub.3.sub.+O.sup.2.Math.PO.sub.4.sup.3 and PO.sub.4.sup.3.Math.P.sub.2O.sub.7.sup.4+O.sup.2, respectively. Vanadates and niobates undergo the same reactions as phosphates under slightly more acidic conditions. Boron undergoes analogous reactions where metaborate (BO.sub.2.sub.) accepts oxide ions to form orthoborate (BO.sub.3.sup.3) or pyroborate (B.sub.2O.sub.5.sup.4) according to BO.sub.2.sub.+O.sup.2.Math.BO.sub.3.sup.3 and 2 BO.sub.3.sup.3.Math.B.sub.2O.sub.5.sup.4+O.sup.2, respectively. The performance of the membrane is typically improved when two catalysts are paired together in similar concentrations. This result may indicate that one catalyst is enhancing CO.sub.2 adsorption while the other catalyst is enhancing CO.sub.2 desorption. Alternatively, this enhancement may occur due to an interaction of the two catalysts, such as PO.sub.4.sup.3+VO.sub.4.sup.3.Math.PVO.sub.7.sup.4+O.sup.2. These reactions should be considered representative and may be more complicated by the actual presence of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O in the molten phase.

[0038] The oxide ion transfer agents can be incorporated into the liquid phase formulation through various combinations of ingredients to achieve the meta, ortho, and pyro (or related poly) states in the final formulation. The selection of ingredients may be dependent on commercial availability, costs, cation pairing, or other factors. For example, sodium borate is commercially available as sodium metaborate, NaBO.sub.2, and borax, Na.sub.2B4O.sub.7.Math.10H.sub.2O. These borates can react with the hydroxides in the formulation to form sodium orthoborate, Na.sub.3BO.sub.3, through the following representative reactions of NaBO.sub.2+2 NaOH.Math.Na.sub.3BO.sub.3+H.sub.2O or Na.sub.2B4O.sub.7.Math.10H.sub.2O+10 NaOH.Math.4 Na.sub.3BO.sub.3+15 H.sub.2O. Similarly, trisodium orthophosphate, Na.sub.3PO4, could be the initial ingredient or it could be formed by reacting monosodium orthophosphate, NaH.sub.2PO.sub.4, or disodium orthophosphate, Na.sub.2HPO.sub.4, with excess hydroxide in the formulation through the representative reactions of NaH.sub.2PO.sub.4+2 NaOH.Math.Na.sub.3PO.sub.4+2 H.sub.2O or Na.sub.2HPO.sub.4+NaOH.Math.Na.sub.3PO.sub.4+H.sub.2O. Alternatively, sodium metaphosphate, NaPO.sub.3, may be formed through the dehydration of monosodium orthophosphate according to NaH.sub.2PO.sub.4.Math.NaPO.sub.3+H.sub.2O. Vanadates, niobates, and nitrates are expected to undergo the same or similar reactions described for the phosphates. These reactions will be dependent on the specific compositions and concentrations of the formulations, the temperatures that the liquid phase has been processed, and other factors.

[0039] Further advantages and aspects of the embodiments of this invention will become clearer after consideration is given to the following non-limiting Examples.

EXAMPLES

[0040] Several liquefiable ion transport phase compositions identified in Table 1 below were formulated and incorporated into a porous solid phase consisting of a nanoporous zirconia ceramic tube. The porous zirconia ceramic tube were procured from Media and Process Technology Inc. of Pittsburgh, PA having a wall thickness of about 1 mm, an inside diameter of about 5 mm, and a porosity of about 25-35% with a pore size distributed around 100 nm.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 LIQUID PHASE EXAMPLE COM- (mol. %) PONENT CE1 CE2 E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 Li.sub.2CO.sub.3 43 NA.sub.2CO.sub.3 32 K.sub.2CO.sub.3 25 LiOH 43 43 24 12 34 NaOH 32 32 30 30 36 KOH 25 20 30 25 24 KH.sub.2PO.sub.4 5 4 BaOH.sub.2 40 40 KVO.sub.3 5 4 LiNO.sub.3 24 38 NaNO.sub.3 4 KNO.sub.3 12 CsNO.sub.3 16 12 Li.sub.3PO.sub.4 8 CsOH 20 KBO.sub.2 12

[0041] Membranes with the CE2 and E1-E6 liquid phase compositions identified in Table 1 above were exposed to a feed gas comprised of 5 vol % CO.sub.2 and 95 vol % N.sub.2 at a flow rate of 200 sccm and a sweep gas comprised of 50 vol % H.sub.2O and 50 vol % Ar at a flow rate of 200 sccm. Both the feed gases and sweep gases were applied at near-ambient pressures of 0-3 PSIG and temperatures ranging from 200-500 C. The conditions of the CE1 membrane tested by Rui, Z. et al publication cited above (J. Memb. Sci. 417-418, 174-182 (2012)) are described in detail within such reference. The CO.sub.2 permeability (mol/m.Math.s.Math.Pa) was determined by measuring the CO.sub.2 concentration in the sweep gas using a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor from CO2meter.com under steady state conditions and factoring the membrane surface area, membrane thickness, and the temperature (15-17 C.) and pressure (0.3 PSIG) of the sweep gas fed to the CO.sub.2 sensor after the water was removed from the sweep gas with condensation. The CO.sub.2 permeability results are shown in FIG. 2 as a function of various different membrane operating temperatures.

[0042] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the presence of oxide ion transfer agents, e.g., nitrates, phosphates, vanadates, borates, and niobates, in combination with one or more alkali metal hydroxides significantly improves the CO.sub.2 permeation rates through the membrane while also significantly lowering the range of operational temperatures.

[0043] It will be appreciated by those skilled in this art that the specific liquid phase components are degenerate in that different combinations of components can yield the same final molar composition of the liquid phase. For example, homogenously mixing one mole of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with one mole of potassium nitrate (KNOB) will yield the exact same liquid phase composition as mixing one mole of potassium hydroxide (KOH) with one mole of sodium nitrate (NaNO.sub.3). While Table 1 describes the representative ingredients used to prepare the liquifiable phase formulation for the Examples provided herein, such ingredients are intended to be exemplary only and thus non-limiting to the disclosed embodiments herein. Thus it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments herein concern the mixed formulations and are thereby not limited to only the representative lists of components identified in Table 1 that can achieve the net formulation.

[0044] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope thereof.