Non-linear high Tg polyimide-based membranes for separating CO₂/CH₄ gas mixtures

A novel series membranes based on non-linear all-aromatic polyimides (PIs) was investigated with the aim to understand how the PI backbone geometry and local electrostatics govern gas transport and the ability to separate CO2/CH4 mixtures. Non-linear 3-ring aromatic diamines, with exocyclic bond angles varying between 120 and 134°, enable the design of high Tg (>276 °C) PIs. A polar 1,3,4-oxadiazole diamine (ODD) (μ = 3D) monomer and a non-polar m-terphenyl diamine (TPD) reference monomer were synthesized and coupled with 3 dianhydrides, i.e. ODPA, ODDA, and 6FDA. In 6FDA-based membranes CO2 permeabilities (PCO2) are the highest of the series. The 6FDA-ODD membrane shows excellent membrane performance with high PCO2 values at all feed pressures. Up to 12 bar (6 bar CO2) none of the membranes reached their plasticization pressure. The non-linear backbone geometry promotes CO2 permeability, whereas the presence of an electrostatic dipole moment associated with the 1,3,4-oxadiazole heterocycle governs CO2/CH4 separation selectivity.Novel Aerospace MaterialsChemE/Catalysis Engineerin

Facile manufacture of porous organic framework membranes for precombustion CO₂ capture

The development of new membranes with high H2 separation performance under industrially relevant conditions (high temperatures and pressures) is of primary importance. For instance, these membranes may facilitate the implementation of energy-efficient precombustion CO2 capture or reduce energy intensity in other industrial processes such as ammonia synthesis. We report a facile synthetic protocol based on interfacial polymerization for the fabrication of supported benzimidazole-linked polymer membranes that display an unprecedented H2/CO2 selectivity (up to 40) at 423 K together with high-pressure resistance and long-term stability (>800 hours in the presence of water vapor).ChemE/Catalysis EngineeringChemE/Transport Phenomen

Shaping Covalent Triazine Frameworks for the Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Formic Acid

A facile one-step method to shape covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) for catalytic applications is reported. Phase inversion of the CTF powder by using a polyimide as a binder in a microfluidic device results in the formation of composite spheres with accessible CTF porosity and a high mechanical and thermal stability. The fabricated spheres can be used to host organometallic complexes. The obtained shaped catalysts, Ir@CTF spheres, are active and fully recyclable in the direct hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into formic acid under mild reaction conditions (20 bar and 50–90 °C) and in the dehydrogenation of formic acid.Accepted Author ManuscriptChemE/Catalysis Engineerin

Covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase on amino MOFs via post-synthetic modification

The post-synthetic modification (PSM) of two amino-MOFs with glucose oxidase is reported in this study. The multi-step approach preserved the MOFs' structure and allowed the production of enzyme-functionalized MOFs (MOFs@GOx), which retained the enzymatic activity and showed selective properties for glucose.OLD ChemE/Organic Materials and InterfacesChemE/Catalysis EngineeringBT/Biocatalysi

Rapid fabrication of MOF-based mixed matrix membranes through digital light processing

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing technology, has greatly expanded across multiple sectors of technology replacing classical manufacturing methods by combining processing speed and high precision. The scientific interest in this technology lies in the ability to create solid architectures with customized shapes and predetermined properties through the exploration of formulations enriched with multifunctional microporous additives such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The concept of additive manufacturing involving advanced materials could be fruitfully adapted for MOF-based mixed matrix membrane fabrication to be used in gas separation applications. In this work, a digital light processing (DLP) approach for fast prototyping of MOF-based mixed matrix membranes (MOF-MMMs) with full control over the shape, size and thickness of the resulting composite using a conventionally available 3D printer has been explored. MOF-based printable inks have been formulated from a selection of commercially available acrylate oligomers and MIL-53(Al)-NH2 additive post-synthetically modified with methacrylic functionality. The formulations and resulting composites have been extensively characterized to demonstrate the suitability of the inks for DLP processing into free-standing MOF-based membranes. The MOF filler anchored to the polymeric matrix enhances the overall permeability at constant selectivity when applied for H2/CO2 separation. The obtained results confirm the applicability of the 3D DLP technology for fast prototyping of MOF-based MMMs and provide new opportunities for further development.ChemE/Catalysis Engineerin

Benzimidazole linked polymers (BILPs) in mixed-matrix membranes: Influence of filler porosity on the CO₂/N₂ separation performance

The performance of mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) based on Matrimid® and benzimidazole-linked polymers (BILPs) have been investigated for the separation CO2/N2 and the dependency on the filler porosity. BILPs with two different porosities (BILP-101 and RT-BILP-101) were synthesized through controlling the initial polymerization rate and further characterized by several techniques (DRIFTs, 13C CP/MAS NMR, SEM, TEM, N2 and CO2 adsorption). To investigate the influence of porosity, the two types of fillers were incorporated into Matrimid® to prepare MMMs at varied loadings (8, 16 and 24 wt%). SEM confirmed that both BILP-101 and RT-BILP-101 are well dispered, indicating their good compatibility with the polymeric matrix. The partial pore blockage in the membrane was verified by CO2 adsorption isotherms on the prepared membranes. In the separation of CO2 from a 15:85 CO2:N2 mixture at 308 K, the incorporation of both BILPs fillers resulted in an enhancement in gas permeability together with constant selectivity owing to the fast transport pathways introduced by the porous network. It was noteworthy that the initial porosity of the filler had a large impact in separation permeability. The best improvement was achieved by 24 wt% RT-BILP-101 MMMs, for which the CO2 permeability increases up to 2.8-fold (from 9.6 to 27 Barrer) compared to the bare Matrimid®.Accepted Author ManuscriptChemE/Catalysis EngineeringChemE/Transport Phenomen