Gas separation membrane containing heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles

1. A gas separation membrane, comprising a matrix resin and hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound, heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles, which are formed of heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles having surfaces onto which a hyperbranched polymer or a dendrimer is chemically added, wherein the heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles are at least one silica nanoparticle species selected from the group consisting of:

rod-like shape silica nanoparticles, which have a ratio D1/D2 is ≥4, wherein D1 is a particle size determined through a dynamic light scattering method, and D2 is a particle size determined through a nitrogen gas adsorption method; which has a D1 of 40 to 500 nm; and which have a uniform diameter of 5 to 40 nm as observed under a transmission electron microscope;

string-of-pearls shape silica nanoparticles which are formed of colloidal silica spherical particles having a particle size D2 determined through the nitrogen gas adsorption method of 10 to 80 nm, and silica which binds together the colloidal silica spherical particles;

which has a ratio D1/D2 is ≥3, wherein D1 is a particle size determined through the dynamic light scattering method, and D2 is a particle size of the colloidal silica spherical particles determined through the nitrogen gas adsorption method; which has a D1 of 40 to 500 nm; and which are formed of the colloidal silica spherical particles connected together; and

confeito-like shape silica nanoparticles which have a surface roughness S2/S3 of 1.2 to 10, wherein S2 is a specific surface area determined through the nitrogen gas adsorption method, and S3 is a specific surface area obtained by reducing a mean particle size D3 determined through image analysis; which have a D3 of 10 to 60 nm; and which have a plurality of wart-shaped projections on the surfaces thereof.

2. A gas separation membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound, heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles are formed of heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles bound to a hyperbranched polymer or a dendrimer by the mediation of a reactive functional group-containing compound.

3. A gas separation membrane according to claim 2 , wherein the reactive functional group-containing compound is a functional group-containing silane coupling agent.

4. A gas separation membrane according to claim 2 , wherein the reactive functional group-containing compound is a compound represented by the following formula (1):

[F1]

(R 1 —O 3 Si—R 2 —NR 3   (1)

(wherein R 1 represents a methyl group or an ethyl group; R 2 represents a C1 to C5 alkylene group, an amido group, or an aminoalkylene group; and R 3 represents hydrogen or a group represented by the following formula (2):

[F2]

—OC—R 4 —COOH  (2)

(wherein R 4 represents a C1 to C20 alkylene group or a C6 to C18 aromatic group).

5. A gas separation membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the hyperbranched polymer or dendrimer is a condensate of a monomer having a structure represented by the following formula (3):

[F3]

X m —R 5 —Y n   (3)

(wherein R 5 represents a C1 to C20 alkylene group or a C6 to C18 aromatic group; each of X and Y represents a carboxyl group, an amino group, a methyl group, or a halogen atom; and m and n are integers of 1 to 4, with 3≤m+n≤6).

6. A gas separation membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix resin is at least one species selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polysulfone, polyether, polydimethylsiloxane, poly(substituted acetlyene), poly-4-methylpentene, and natural rubber.

7. A gas separation membrane according to claim 5 , wherein the matrix resin is at least one species selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polysulfone, polyether, polydimethylsiloxane, poly(substituted acetlyene), poly-4-methylpentene, and natural rubber.

8. A gas separation membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound, heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticle content is 1 to 70 mass %.

9. A gas separation membrane according to claim 5 , wherein the hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound, heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticle content is 1 to 70 mass %.

10. A gas separation membrane according to claim 6 , wherein the hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound, heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticle content is 1 to 70 mass %.

11. A gas separation membrane according to claim 7 , wherein the hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound, heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticle content is 1 to 70 mass %.

12. A hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound, heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles, being formed of heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles having surfaces onto which a hyperbranched polymer or a dendrimer is chemically added, wherein the heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles are at least one silica nanoparticle species selected from the group consisting of:

rod-like shape silica nanoparticles, which have a ratio D1/D2 is ≥4, wherein D1 is a particle size determined through a dynamic light scattering method, and D2 is a particle size determined through a nitrogen gas adsorption method; which has a D1 of 40 to 500 nm; and which have a uniform diameter of 5 to 40 nm as observed under a transmission electron microscope;

string-of-pearls shape silica nanoparticles which are formed of colloidal silica spherical particles having a particle size D2 determined through the nitrogen gas adsorption method of 10 to 80 nm, and silica which binds together the colloidal silica spherical particles;

which has a ratio D1/D2 is ≥3, wherein D1 is a particle size determined through the dynamic light scattering method, and D2 is a particle size of the colloidal silica spherical particles determined through the nitrogen gas adsorption method; which has a D1 of 40 to 500 nm; and which are formed of the colloidal silica spherical particles connected together; and

confeito-like shape silica nanoparticles which have a surface roughness S2/S3 of 1.2 to 10, wherein S2 is a specific surface area determined through the nitrogen gas adsorption method, and S3 is a specific surface area obtained by reducing a mean particle size D3 determined through image analysis; which have a D3 of 10 to 60 nm; and which have a plurality of wart-shaped projections on the surfaces thereof.

13. A composite material, comprising the hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound as recited in claim 12 , heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles, and a matrix resin.

14. A composite material according to claim 13 , wherein the matrix resin is at least one species selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polysulfone, polyether, polydimethylsiloxane, poly(substituted acetlyene), poly-4-methylpentene, and natural rubber.

15. A composite material according to claim 13 , wherein the matrix resin is a PIM-1 represented by the following structure 2: