Novel Metal-Organic Framework/Polymer Membranes for Facilitated Gas Transport

0933563 Ferraris化学和生物分离项目的NSF奖项支持了John P. Ferraris教授，Kenneth J.和Inga H.该项目由德克萨斯大学达拉斯分校的Musselman博士主持，旨在设计、制造和测试用于气体分离的混合基质膜（MMM）。该项目将利用新型材料，同时针对选定的分离，并提供改善的界面接触与聚合物基质。我们发现，聚合物中纳米多孔金属有机框架（MOFs）的高含量可以提供长期寻求的突破性技术。MOFs提供了一些有史以来报道的最高表面积，以及对工业上重要的分离所涉及的气体（包括CO2，CH 4，O2和N2）的选择性吸附。这些金属有机骨架中的许多具有优异的热稳定性和化学稳定性，使得M0 F可以与沸石竞争用于商业分离。这类新型材料使我们能够制造具有前所未有的负载量[80%（w/w）]的MMM，我们认为这是最终实现混合基质膜用于气体分离的关键。该项目对能源和环境的更广泛影响包括许多任务，这些任务将导致膜科学和新型纳米材料领域的研究和多层次教育的整合。这一潜在的高影响力研究工作的成功将为社会带来重大利益，包括用膜代替能源密集型分离，从而节省能源和经济。一个强有力的教育组成部分将与研究活动同时进行，这些活动将吸引研究生和本科生以及代表性不足的群体和妇女的学生。学生在这个项目中获得的技能将提高他们在膜工程，纳米技术，能源和材料科学的职业生涯的准备。除了在膜及其应用的研讨会和课程开发，我们寻求在膜和纳米材料的研究从事各级学生。 我们还致力于通过一些暑期项目高中学生的研究经验，并预计该项目也将通过教育我们的高中教师和学生在整个社会的影响。

0933563FerrarisThis NSF award by the Chemical and Biological Separations program supports the work by Professor John P. Ferraris, Kenneth J. Balkus, Jr., and Inga H. Musselman at the University of Texas at Dallas to design, fabricate and test mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for gas separations. This project will utilize novel materials that simultaneously target selected separations and provide improved interfacial contact with the polymer matrix. We have discovered that high loadings of nanoporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in polymers can provide the long sought after breakthrough technology. MOFs offer some of the highest surface areas ever reported as well as the selective adsorption of gases involved in industrially important separations including CO2, CH4, O2, and N2. Many of these metal-organic frameworks have exceptional thermal and chemical stability such that MOFs could be competitive with zeolites for commercial separations. This novel class of materials has enabled us to fabricate MMMs with unprecedented loadings [80% (w/w)], which we believe is the key to finally realizing the promise of mixed-matrix membranes for gas separations. The broader impacts of this project on energy and the environment include numerous tasks that will lead to the integration of research and multilevel education in the area of membrane science and novel nanomaterials. The success of this potentially high impact research effort will lead to significant benefits to society including replacement of energy-intensive separations with membranes resulting in both energy and economic savings. A strong educational component will coincide with the research activities that will engage students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels as well as students from underrepresented groups and women. The skills acquired by students during this project will enhance their preparation for careers in membrane engineering, nanotechnology, energy, and materials science. In addition to seminars and course development on membranes and their applications, we seek to engage students at all levels in the study of membranes and nanomaterials. We are also committed to high school student research experiences through a number of summer programs and anticipate that this project will also impact the community at large by educating our high school teachers and students.