Ultrathin Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets as a Gutter Layer for Flexible Composite Gas Separation Membranes

Min Liu; Ke Xie; Mitchell D. Nothling; Paul Andrew Gurr; Shereen Siew Ling Tan; Qiang Fu; Paul A. Webley; Greg G. Qiao

doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b06811

Ultrathin Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets as a Gutter Layer for Flexible Composite Gas Separation Membranes

Min Liu, Ke Xie, Mitchell D. Nothling, Paul Andrew Gurr, Shereen Siew Ling Tan, Qiang Fu^*, Paul A. Webley, Greg G. Qiao

^*Corresponding author for this work

Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

146 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ultrathin metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets show great potential in various separation applications. In this study, MOF nanosheets are incorporated as a gutter layer in high-performance, flexible thin-film composite membranes (TFCMs) for CO₂ separation. Ultrathin MOF nanosheets (∼3-4 nm) were prepared via a surfactant-assisted method and subsequently coated onto a flexible porous support by vacuum filtration. This produced an ultrathin (∼25 nm), extremely flat MOF layer, which serves as a highly permeable gutter with reduced gas resistance when compared with conventional polydimethylsiloxane gutter layers. Subsequent spin-coating of the ultrathin MOF gutter layer with a polymeric selective layer (Polyactive) afforded a TFCM exhibiting the best CO₂ separation performance yet reported for a flexible composite membrane (CO₂ permeance of ∼2100 GPU with a CO₂/N₂ ideal selectivity of ∼30). Several unique MOF nanosheets were examined as gutter layers, each differing with regard to structure and thickness (∼10 and ∼80 nm), with results indicating that flexibility in the ultrathin MOF layer is critical for optimized membrane performance. The inclusion of ultrathin MOF nanosheets into next-generation TFCMs has the potential for major improvements in gas separation performance over current composite membrane designs.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	11591-11599
Number of pages	9
Journal	ACS nano
Volume	12
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b06811
State	Published - Nov 27 2018

Funding

This work was performed in part at the Materials Characterization and Fabrication Platform (MCFP) at the University of Melbourne and the Victorian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF). The authors appreciate the Bio21 Advanced Microscopy Facility for the assistance with material characterization, Dr. Alex Duan for assistance with the AAS measurement, Mr. Xin Fang and Ms. Jianhua Zhao for the gas adsorption test, Dr. Hiep Lu for the mixed gas separation test, and Dr. Meiting Zhao for the constructive comments on the synthesis of MOF nanosheets. M.L. acknowledges the support from China Scholarship Council - University of Melbourne Research Scholarship (no. 201606260063). Q.F. acknowledges the Australian Research Council under the Future Fellowship (FT180100312).

Keywords

CO capture
flexible composite membrane
gutter layer
metalâorganic framework
nanosheet

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Materials Science
General Engineering
General Physics and Astronomy

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1021/acsnano.8b06811

Cite this

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title = "Ultrathin Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets as a Gutter Layer for Flexible Composite Gas Separation Membranes",

abstract = "Ultrathin metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets show great potential in various separation applications. In this study, MOF nanosheets are incorporated as a gutter layer in high-performance, flexible thin-film composite membranes (TFCMs) for CO2 separation. Ultrathin MOF nanosheets (∼3-4 nm) were prepared via a surfactant-assisted method and subsequently coated onto a flexible porous support by vacuum filtration. This produced an ultrathin (∼25 nm), extremely flat MOF layer, which serves as a highly permeable gutter with reduced gas resistance when compared with conventional polydimethylsiloxane gutter layers. Subsequent spin-coating of the ultrathin MOF gutter layer with a polymeric selective layer (Polyactive) afforded a TFCM exhibiting the best CO2 separation performance yet reported for a flexible composite membrane (CO2 permeance of ∼2100 GPU with a CO2/N2 ideal selectivity of ∼30). Several unique MOF nanosheets were examined as gutter layers, each differing with regard to structure and thickness (∼10 and ∼80 nm), with results indicating that flexibility in the ultrathin MOF layer is critical for optimized membrane performance. The inclusion of ultrathin MOF nanosheets into next-generation TFCMs has the potential for major improvements in gas separation performance over current composite membrane designs.",

keywords = "CO capture, flexible composite membrane, gutter layer, metal{\^a}organic framework, nanosheet",

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Ultrathin Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets as a Gutter Layer for Flexible Composite Gas Separation Membranes

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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