Interlocking a synthesized polymer and bifunctional filler containing the same polymer's monomer for conformable hybrid membrane systems

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Materials for energy and sustainability, 2020-02, Vol.8 (7), p.3942-3955
• Main Authors: Mashhadikhan, Samaneh, Moghadassi, Abdolreza, Ebadi Amooghin, Abtin, Sanaeepur, Hamidreza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Carbon dioxide; Coordination compounds; Copper; Copper compounds; Diamines; Durene; Encapsulation; Energy efficiency; Fillers; Functional groups; Functional materials; Gas separation; Hybrid systems; Imines; Information systems; Membranes; Metal complexes; Methane; Monomers; Performance enhancement; Permeability; Polymers; Selectivity; Supramolecular compounds; Transition metal compounds; Zeolites
• ISSN: 2050-7488; 2050-7496
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ta13375e

The development of advanced functional materials is a growing field to improve the performance of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) as energy efficient alternatives to the conventional gas separation membranes. Herein, a novel highly selective host-guest complex was synthesized by encapsulating a Schiff base macrocyclic copper complex in the FAU super-cages of zeolite 13X. The design strategy of the encapsulated complex is based on the utilization of the same polymer's monomer, durene diamine monomers, as the Schiff base ligand component to eliminate interfacial defects, and also improve the CO 2 -facilitated transport through the favorable functional groups. MMMs comprised of ([Cu(6L)] 2+ @13X) and the as-synthesized 6FDA-durene polyimide were investigated. The MMM containing 15 wt% of the [Cu(6L)] 2+ @13X complex resulted in the CO 2 permeability of 1034.1 barrer with CO 2 /CH 4 and CO 2 /N 2 selectivities of 42.2 and 38.3, respectively. These results are 127%, 173% and 173% higher than that of the pristine 6FDA-durene, which showed the CO 2 permeability of 455.2 barrer with CO 2 /CH 4 and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of 15.4 and 14.0, respectively. Thus, the superior results of the present work suggest that encapsulated Schiff base transition metal complexes containing polymeric matrix monomers offer a new route to produce advanced functional fillers for highly effective gas separation MMMs. Extra high-performance MMMs were fabricated by embedding a bifunctional host/guest complex (Schiff base macrocyclic copper complex in the FAU super-cages of zeolite 13X) into the 6FDA-durene matrix and examined for CO 2 /light gas separation.