The development of nitrogen-selective membranes is essential to realize a membrane process for the production of oxygen-enriched air. Zeolite membranes have potential for this purpose, while polymeric and carbon membranes are largely oxygen-selective. In this study, FAU-type zeolite membranes containing Na cations were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis on a porous α-alumina support tube. Permeation measurements for unary and binary systems for N
2 and O
2 were performed at 310 K. The membranes showed high permeation rates and high N
2/O
2 ideal separation factors for unary N
2 and O
2 gases. However, the separation factor was decreased when an N
2-O
2 mixture was fed. In order to further examine the permeation mechanism of the membranes, permeation rates were also determined for single-components of H
2, CO
2, CH
4, n-C
4H
10, i-C
4H
10 and SF
6, as well as for N
2-H
2, N
2-CO
2, and N
2-n-C
4H
10 mixtures. The permeation properties can be classified based on competitive adsorptivity and diffusivity in the zeolitic pores. Ion-exchange and impregnation with Li cations were not greatly effective in increasing the N
2/O
2 separation factor of the membrane.
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