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Mixed Matrix Composite Membranes with MOF-protruding Structure for Efficient CO2 Separation
  • +9
  • Shuqing Song,
  • Mingang Zhao,
  • Zheyuan Guo,
  • Yanxiong Ren,
  • Jianyu Wang,
  • Xu Liang,
  • Yunchuan Pu,
  • Shaoyu Wang,
  • Hanze Ma,
  • Xuerui Wang,
  • Guangwei He,
  • Zhongyi Jiang
Shuqing Song
Tianjin University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Mingang Zhao
Tianjin University
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Zheyuan Guo
Tianjin University
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Yanxiong Ren
Tianjin University
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Jianyu Wang
Tianjin University
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Xu Liang
Tianjin University
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Yunchuan Pu
Tianjin University
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Shaoyu Wang
Tianjin University
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Hanze Ma
Tianjin University
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Xuerui Wang
Nanjing Tech University
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Guangwei He
Tianjin University
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Zhongyi Jiang
Tianjin University
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Abstract

Mixed matrix composite membranes (MMCMs) hold great potential to realize efficient CO2 removal from natural gas. However, the reduction of separation performance arising from the interfacial defects, significant plasticization and aging effect in the thin films severely limit their application. Herein, we fabricated a series of polyimide MMCMs with MOF-protruding structure wherein amino-functionalized ZIF-8 nanocrystals nearly penetrate the thin selective layer. Through engineering the interfacial interactions, e.g., covalent or hydrogen bondings, we successfully fabricated defect-free MMCMs with the thickness ranging from 140 to 280 nm. The stronger interfacial interactions eliminate the interfacial defects and restrict the mobility of polymer chains under high pressure. Accordingly, the MMCM displays a high CO2 permeance of 778 GPU and a CO2/CH4 selectivity of 34 with significantly improved resistance to plasticization and aging. Considering the superior performance, we anticipate our work could provide guidelines on designing advanced MMMs to tackle critical separations.