A new Azo-DMOF-1 MOF as a photo-responsive low-energy CO2 adsorbent and its exceptional CO2/N2 separation performance in mixed matrix membranes

A new generation-2 light-responsive metal–organic framework (MOF) has been successfully synthesized using Zn as the metal source and both 2-phenyldiazenyl terephthalic acid and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) as the ligands. It was found that Zn-azo-dabco MOF (Azo-DMOF-1) exhibited a photoresponsive CO2 adsorption both in static and dynamic condition because of the presence of azobenzene functionalities from the ligand. Further application of this MOF was evaluated by incorporating it as a filler in a mixed matrix membrane for CO2/N2 gas separation. Matrimid and polymer of intrinsic microporosity-1 (PIM-1) were used as the polymer matrix. It was found that Azo-DMOF-1 could enhance both the CO2 permeability and selectivity of the pristine polymer. In particular, the Azo-DMOF-1–PIM-1 composite membranes have shown a promising performance that surpassed the 2008 Robeson Upper Bound

Systematic screening of DMOF-1 with NH2, NO2, Br and azobenzene functionalities for elucidation of carbon dioxide and nitrogen separation properties

In this study, dabco MOF-1 (DMOF-1) with four different functional groups (NH2, NO2, Br and azobenzene) has been successfully synthesized through systematic control of the synthesis conditions. The functionalised DMOF-1 is characterized using various analytical techniques including PXRD, TGA and N2 sorption. The effect of the various functional groups on the performance of the MOFs for post-combustion CO2 capture is evaluated. DMOF-1s with polar functional groups are found to have better affinity with CO2 compared with the parent framework as indicated by higher CO2 heat of adsorption. However, imparting steric hindrance to the framework as in Azo-DMOF-1 enhances CO2/N2 selectivity, potentially as a result of lower N2 affinity for the framework

Can metal organic frameworks outperform adsorptive removal of harmful phenolic compound 2-chlorophenol by activated carbon?

Removal of persistent organic compounds from aqueous solutions is generally achieved using adsorbent like activated carbon (AC) but it suffers from limited adsorption capacity due to low surface area. This paper describes a pioneering work on the adsorption of an organic pollutant, 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) by two MOFs with high surface area and water stability; MIL-101 and its amino-derivative, MIL-101-NH2. Although MOFs have higher surface area than AC, the latter was proven better having the highest equilibrium 2-CP uptake (345 mg g−1), followed by MIL-101 (121 mg g−1) and MIL-101-NH2 (84 mg g−1). Used MIL-101 could be easily regenerated multiple times by washing with ethanol and even showed improved adsorption capacity after each washing cycle. These results can open the doors to meticulous adsorbent selection for treating 2-CP-contaminated water

Use of vibratory shear enhanced processing to treat magnetic ion exchange concentrate: A techno-economic analysis

Disposal of waste generated by inland water treatment technologies is highly expensive. The introduction of vibratory shear enhanced processing (VSEP) to treat waste produced from magnetic ion exchange (MIEX) shows benefits in terms of performance and economics. A small VSEP unit fitted with a nanofiltration (NF) membrane is capable of treating up to 15. kL of MIEX waste per day, is able remove more than 97% of dissolved organic compounds as well as recover over 80% of waste in the form of permeate. The reuse of permeate to makeup brine has seen significant reductions in salt consumption and waste disposal at Wanneroo Groundwater Treatment Plant (GWTP). During the first year of VSEP operation, salt consumption reduced by 42% and waste disposal was projected to reduce by 23.9%. Further improvements in both cost categories were observed in the second year of operation and considering the same trend is followed, the payback period of the project will occur between the 6th and 7th year of operation for discounted analysis and has a positive net present value

An Assessment of Extension's Long-Range Planning Process: Programming into the '90s.

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Missing Linker Defects in a Homochiral Metal-Organic Framework: Tuning the Chiral Separation Capacity

Efficient chiral separation remains a very challenging task due to the identical physical and chemical properties of the enantiomers of a molecule. Enantiomers only behave differently from each other in the presence of other chiral species. Homochiral metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have received much attention for their promising enantioseparation properties. However, there are still challenges to overcome in this field such as high enantiomeric separation. Structural defects play an important role in the properties of MOFs and can significantly change the pore architecture. In this work, we introduced missing linker defects into a homochiral metal–organic framework [Zn2(bdc)(l-lac)(dmf)] (ZnBLD; bdc = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, l-lac = l-lactic acid, dmf = N,N′-dimethylformamide) and observed an increase in enantiomeric excess for 1-phenylethanol of 35% with the defective frameworks. We adjusted the concentration of monocarboxylic acid ligand l-lactic acid by varying the ratio of Zn2+ to ligand from 0.5 to 0.85 mmol. Additionally, a defective framework was synthesized with propanoic acid as modulator. In order to elucidate the correlation between defects and enantiomeric excess, five characterization techniques (FTIR, TGA, 1H NMR, ICP, and PXRD) were employed. Full width at half-maximum analysis (fwhm) was performed on the powder X-ray diffraction traces and showed that the higher concentration of monocarboxylic acid MOFs were isostructural but suffered from increased fwhm values

Nanocomposite Nafion-Silica membranes for direct methanol fuel cells

Commercially available proton exchange membranes such as Nafion do not meet the requirements for high power density direct methanol fuel cells, partly due to their high methanol permeability. The aim of this work is to develop a new class of high-proton conductivity membranes, with thermal and mechanical stability similar to Nafion and reduced methanol permeability. Nanocomposite membranes were produced by the in-situ sol-gel synthesis of silicon dioxide particles in preformed Nafion membranes. Microstructural modification of Nafion membranes with silica nanoparticles was shown in this work to reduce methanol crossover from 7.48x10-6 cm2s^-1 for pure Nafion® to 2.86 x10-6 cm2s^-1 for nanocomposite nafion membranes (Methanol 50% (v/v) solution, 75 degrees C). Best results were achieved with a silica composition of 2.6% (w/w). We propose that silica inhibits the conduction of methanol through Nafion by blocking sites necessary for methanol diffusion through the polymer electrolyte membrane. Effects of surface chemistry, nanoparticle formation and interactions with Nafion matrix are further addressed

Human-specific ARHGAP11B ensures human-like basal progenitor levels in hominid cerebral organoids

The human-specific gene ARHGAP11B has been implicated in human neocortex expansion. However, the extent of ARHGAP11B's contribution to this expansion during hominid evolution is unknown. Here we address this issue by genetic manipulation of ARHGAP11B levels and function in chimpanzee and human cerebral organoids. ARHGAP11B expression in chimpanzee cerebral organoids doubles basal progenitor levels, the class of cortical progenitors with a key role in neocortex expansion. Conversely, interference with ARHGAP11B's function in human cerebral organoids decreases basal progenitors down to the chimpanzee level. Moreover, ARHGAP11A or ARHGAP11B rescue experiments in ARHGAP11A plus ARHGAP11B double-knockout human forebrain organoids indicate that lack of ARHGAP11B, but not of ARHGAP11A, decreases the abundance of basal radial glia-the basal progenitor type thought to be of particular relevance for neocortex expansion. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that ARHGAP11B is necessary and sufficient to ensure the elevated basal progenitor levels that characterize the fetal human neocortex, suggesting that this human-specific gene was a major contributor to neocortex expansion during human evolution.Peer reviewe

Upcycling a plastic cup: one-pot synthesis of lactate containing metal organic frameworks from polylactic acid

Waste PLA can be upcycled to metal organic frameworks of potential high value in a one-pot synthesis scheme, where PLA depolymerisation occurs in situ. Three homochiral lactate based frameworks were successfully synthesised and characterised from PLA as a feed source, including ZnBLD. The chiral separation ability of ZnBLD was maintained