Coordination-Driven Synthesis of Mofs-Based Facilitated Transport Hybrid Membranes for Co2 Separation

Abstract

MOFs-based facilitated transport hybrid membranes (FTHMs) have shown their great potential in CO2-selective gas separation. However, rational membrane fabrication by distributing evenly and introducing functional groups in MOFs-based facilitated transport hybrid membrane is crucial but challenging. We herein report a facile coordination-driven approach to realizing the integration of MOF onto a polymetric matrix by introducing the polyaniline (PANI) as a binder as well as a filler disperser through Cu(II)-N coordination interaction. The resulting facilitated membrane exhibited synergetic channels to process CO2 facilitated transport due to the CO2-philic nature of PANI and MOFs with low-density pore blockage observed. The even distribution of well-dispersed MOFs nanoparticles upon PANI is realized through coordination interaction between the metal center and amino and imine groups in PANI. Moreover, PANI is highly compatible with the polymetric matrix by forming hydrogen bonds, as verified by experimental characterization and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The resulting FTHMs exhibit a simultaneous enhancement of individual-gas permeance (676.6 GPU) and CO2/N2 ideal selectivity (28.3), as well as enhanced decomposition temperature up to 474°C and lasting sustainability over 72 days (1728 hours). The coordination-driven membrane fabrication paves a new and promising way for designing stable, uniform, and longevity FTHMs, thus offering a potential facile route to fabricate high-performance FTHMs for CO2/N2 separation.

Keywords: facilitated transport hybrid membranes, Metal-Organic frameworks, coordination network, CO2/N2 separation, molecular dynamics simulations