Rapid One-Pot Microwave Synthesis of Mixed-Linker Hybrid Zeolitic-Imidazolate Framework Membranes for Tunable Gas Separations. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The relatively slow and complex fabrication processes of polycrystalline metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes often times restrict their way to commercialization, despite their potential for molecular separation applications. Herein, we report a rapid one-pot microwave synthesis of mixed-linker hybrid zeolitic-imidazolate framework (ZIF) membranes consisting of 2-methylimidazolate (ZIF-8 linker) and benzimidazolate (ZIF-7 linker) linkers, termed ZIF-7-8 membranes. The fast-volumetric microwave heating in conjunction with a unique counter diffusion of metal and linker solutions enabled unprecedented rapid synthesis of well-intergrown ZIF-7-8 membranes in 90 s, the fastest MOF membrane preparation up to date. Furthermore, we were able to tune the molecular sieving properties of the ZIF-7-8 membranes by varying the benzimidazole-to-2-methylimidazole (bIm-to-mIm) linker ratio in the hybrid frameworks. The tuning of their molecular sieving properties led to the systematic change in the permeance and selectivity of various small gases. The unprecedented rapid synthesis of well-intergrown ZIF-7-8 membranes with tunable molecular sieving properties is an important step forward for the commercial gas separation applications of ZIF membranes.

published proceedings

  • ACS Appl Mater Interfaces

author list (cited authors)

  • Hillman, F., Brito, J., & Jeong, H.

citation count

  • 64

complete list of authors

  • Hillman, Febrian||Brito, Jordan||Jeong, Hae-Kwon

publication date

  • February 2018