Mixed‐matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical ZIF‐8 towards enhanced CO2/N2 separation

Abstract Metal‐organic framework (MOF) has been widely used as filler of mixed‐matrix membranes (MMMs) because of their tunable pore sizes, large surface areas, and rich functional groups. However, a relatively high diffusion barrier in the framework of bulk MOF fillers inevitably reduces gas permea...

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Main Authors: Ting Xia, Yuyang Wu, Taotao Ji, Wenjing Hu, Kunpeng Yu, Xinyu He, Ben Hang Yin, Yi Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:Smart Molecules
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/smo.20240066
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author Ting Xia
Yuyang Wu
Taotao Ji
Wenjing Hu
Kunpeng Yu
Xinyu He
Ben Hang Yin
Yi Liu
author_facet Ting Xia
Yuyang Wu
Taotao Ji
Wenjing Hu
Kunpeng Yu
Xinyu He
Ben Hang Yin
Yi Liu
author_sort Ting Xia
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Metal‐organic framework (MOF) has been widely used as filler of mixed‐matrix membranes (MMMs) because of their tunable pore sizes, large surface areas, and rich functional groups. However, a relatively high diffusion barrier in the framework of bulk MOF fillers inevitably reduces gas permeability. Introduction of hierarchically porous structure represents an effective method for reducing guest diffusion resistance with no compromise in gas selectivity. In this study, hierarchical ZIF‐8 (H‐ZIF‐8) was prepared using carboxylated polystyrene (PS‐COOH) nanospheres as a hard template. Owing to the introduction of carboxyl groups, electrostatic interaction between PS nanospheres and Zn2+ ions is enhanced, facilitating uniform embedment of PS nanospheres in bulk ZIF‐8 filler. After dissolution of PS‐COOH nanospheres with dimethylformamide solvents, H‐ZIF‐8 with tunable textural properties is readily obtained. Gas permeation results indicate that compared with bulk ZIF‐8 filler, fast diffusion pathways for guest molecules are established in H‐ZIF‐8 filler, resulting in a CO2/N2 separation factor (SF) of 48.77 with CO2 permeability of 645.76 Barrer in terms of H‐ZIF‐8 MMMs with 6 wt % loading, which well exceeds the 2008 Robenson upper bound for CO2/N2 gas pair, thus showing promising prospects for high‐efficiency CO2 capture from flue gas.
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spelling doaj-art-9390f165b2e64438bc9c8804b4512fd82025-08-20T02:38:15ZengWileySmart Molecules2751-45872751-45952025-06-0132n/an/a10.1002/smo.20240066Mixed‐matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical ZIF‐8 towards enhanced CO2/N2 separationTing Xia0Yuyang Wu1Taotao Ji2Wenjing Hu3Kunpeng Yu4Xinyu He5Ben Hang Yin6Yi Liu7State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals School of Chemical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian ChinaState Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals School of Chemical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian ChinaState Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals School of Chemical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian ChinaState Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals School of Chemical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian ChinaState Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals School of Chemical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian ChinaState Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals School of Chemical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian ChinaFaculty of Engineering Robinson Research Institute Victoria University of Wellington Wellington New ZealandState Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals School of Chemical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian ChinaAbstract Metal‐organic framework (MOF) has been widely used as filler of mixed‐matrix membranes (MMMs) because of their tunable pore sizes, large surface areas, and rich functional groups. However, a relatively high diffusion barrier in the framework of bulk MOF fillers inevitably reduces gas permeability. Introduction of hierarchically porous structure represents an effective method for reducing guest diffusion resistance with no compromise in gas selectivity. In this study, hierarchical ZIF‐8 (H‐ZIF‐8) was prepared using carboxylated polystyrene (PS‐COOH) nanospheres as a hard template. Owing to the introduction of carboxyl groups, electrostatic interaction between PS nanospheres and Zn2+ ions is enhanced, facilitating uniform embedment of PS nanospheres in bulk ZIF‐8 filler. After dissolution of PS‐COOH nanospheres with dimethylformamide solvents, H‐ZIF‐8 with tunable textural properties is readily obtained. Gas permeation results indicate that compared with bulk ZIF‐8 filler, fast diffusion pathways for guest molecules are established in H‐ZIF‐8 filler, resulting in a CO2/N2 separation factor (SF) of 48.77 with CO2 permeability of 645.76 Barrer in terms of H‐ZIF‐8 MMMs with 6 wt % loading, which well exceeds the 2008 Robenson upper bound for CO2/N2 gas pair, thus showing promising prospects for high‐efficiency CO2 capture from flue gas.https://doi.org/10.1002/smo.20240066flue gas separationhierarchical MOFmixed‐matrix membranesZIF‐8 membrane
spellingShingle Ting Xia
Yuyang Wu
Taotao Ji
Wenjing Hu
Kunpeng Yu
Xinyu He
Ben Hang Yin
Yi Liu
Mixed‐matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical ZIF‐8 towards enhanced CO2/N2 separation
Smart Molecules
flue gas separation
hierarchical MOF
mixed‐matrix membranes
ZIF‐8 membrane
title Mixed‐matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical ZIF‐8 towards enhanced CO2/N2 separation
title_full Mixed‐matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical ZIF‐8 towards enhanced CO2/N2 separation
title_fullStr Mixed‐matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical ZIF‐8 towards enhanced CO2/N2 separation
title_full_unstemmed Mixed‐matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical ZIF‐8 towards enhanced CO2/N2 separation
title_short Mixed‐matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical ZIF‐8 towards enhanced CO2/N2 separation
title_sort mixed matrix membranes incorporating hierarchical zif 8 towards enhanced co2 n2 separation
topic flue gas separation
hierarchical MOF
mixed‐matrix membranes
ZIF‐8 membrane
url https://doi.org/10.1002/smo.20240066
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