Integrated manufacturing of REciclable multi-material COmposites for the TRANSport sector
Coordination Polymer Glass?Unified MOF Membranes for High?Efficiency Molecular Separations
A facile strategy enables the fabrication of defect?free MOF membranes through integration with melt?quenched coordination polymer glass. These advanced membranes possess densely interconnected nanochannels that facilitate high?efficiency molecular separations in organic solvent nanofiltration, pervaporation, and gas separation, respectively, and tunable separation performance through non?destructive modification.Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) demonstrate significant potential as separation membranes in energy?efficient industrial applications. Nevertheless, fabricating an arbitrary MOF membrane with intrinsic separation capability remains a persistent challenge due to intercrystalline defects, necessitating case?specific optimization of synthesis conditions for different separation targets. Herein, the first coordination polymer (CP) glass?unified MOF (GUM) membranes are fabricated by a melt?quenching approach, establishing a tunable and facile strategy for on?demand MOF membrane fabrication. The three types of Zr?GUM, Al?GUM, and Zn?GUM membranes with different Zr?, Al?, Zn?MOFs are defect?free and feature high?density, interconnected, selective nanochannels that dominate the transport process. This strategy enables precise and rapid molecular separation in organic solvent nanofiltration, isomer pervaporation, and gas separation. Meanwhile, through non?destructive modification of MOF crystals, the separation performance can be precisely fine?tuned without compromising the structural integrity of the GUM membrane. Furthermore, leveraging the meltability of CP glass, this strategy enables the fabrication of innovative defect?free membranes with integrated self?healing properties. The GUM membranes demonstrate sustained high?efficiency separation performance coupled with exceptional mechanical robustness, chemical resistance, and thermal stability, providing a facile strategy for both gas and liquid membrane separations.
» Publication Date: 13/09/2025
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 768737
