Processes are disclosed for production of value-added products from fluid
admixtures of hydrocarbon compounds at least one of which is an aromatic
hydrocarbon compound, by means of one or more devices using
perm-selective polymeric membranes. More particularly, processes of the
invention comprise separations using aromatic-selective polymeric
materials comprising long-chain polymeric molecules in which recurring
amide and imide linkages are part of the main polymer chain. Processes of
the invention advantageously employ aromatic-selective membranes to
separate an aromatic enriched stream from gaseous and/or liquid mixtures
comprising one or more aromatic hydrocarbon compounds thereby producing a
stream comprising the remaining compounds which may include alkenes
and/or alkanes containing 3 or more carbon atoms, and/or alicyclic
hydrocarbons. Processes of the invention are particularly useful for
recovery of meta-xylene and para-xylene products from liquid mixtures
even containing ethylbenzene as well as the three xylene isomers.