(102e) Towards MOF Membrane Technology: High-Performance Separations via Mixed-Linker ZIFs and Membrane Processing on Polymeric Hollow Fibers

This talk will describe our progress in the synthesis and properties of ZIF-type MOF materials and their subsequent use in scalable fabrication processes to obtain molecular sieving membranes on polymeric hollow fibers. Membrane separation is a key component of strategies targeting step changes (rather than incremental ones) in cost and energy-efficiency during production of fuels and chemicals from conventional and renewable feedstocks. Two important barriers to the development of MOF membrane separation technology are (i) the difficulty in obtaining tunable, high-performance, and robust molecular sieving materials; and (ii) the lack of low-cost, scalable membrane fabrication processes. A multiscale approach to membrane fabrication process engineering is required to overcome these barriers. We will demonstrate that the mixed-linker approach to synthesis of ZIF-type MOFs offers a path towards fine (sub-Ångstrom) control of pore structure and separation properties. Furthermore, we will discuss how such materials can be processed into polycrystalline membranes on a scalable hollow fiber platform, with control over nanometer-scale defects as well as micron-scale transport and film crystallization phenomena within the hollow fibers. These membranes allow high-performance separations of molecules such as hydrogen, light olefins, and isomers. The talk will conclude with a proposal to generalize the above strategy towards a versatile MOF membrane technology that addresses a wide range of molecular separation targets.