Rapid fabrication of MOF-based mixed matrix membranes through digital light processing

Rapid fabrication of MOF-based mixed matrix membranes through digital light processing

Pustovarenko, Alexey (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)
Seoane, Beatriz (Universiteit Utrecht)
Abou-Hamad, Edy (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)
King, Helen E. (Universiteit Utrecht)
Weckhuysen, Bert M. (Universiteit Utrecht)
Kapteijn, F. (TU Delft ChemE/Catalysis Engineering)
Gascon, Jorge (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

2021

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing technology, has greatly expanded across multiple sectors of technology replacing classical manufacturing methods by combining processing speed and high precision. The scientific interest in this technology lies in the ability to create solid architectures with customized shapes and predetermined properties through the exploration of formulations enriched with multifunctional microporous additives such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The concept of additive manufacturing involving advanced materials could be fruitfully adapted for MOF-based mixed matrix membrane fabrication to be used in gas separation applications. In this work, a digital light processing (DLP) approach for fast prototyping of MOF-based mixed matrix membranes (MOF-MMMs) with full control over the shape, size and thickness of the resulting composite using a conventionally available 3D printer has been explored. MOF-based printable inks have been formulated from a selection of commercially available acrylate oligomers and MIL-53(Al)-NH2 additive post-synthetically modified with methacrylic functionality. The formulations and resulting composites have been extensively characterized to demonstrate the suitability of the inks for DLP processing into free-standing MOF-based membranes. The MOF filler anchored to the polymeric matrix enhances the overall permeability at constant selectivity when applied for H2/CO2 separation. The obtained results confirm the applicability of the 3D DLP technology for fast prototyping of MOF-based MMMs and provide new opportunities for further development.

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:412ba8b7-f861-4772-9396-a81dceb12aba

https://doi.org/10.1039/d1ma00023c

Materials Advances, 2 (8), 2739-2749

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2021 Alexey Pustovarenko, Beatriz Seoane, Edy Abou-Hamad, Helen E. King, Bert M. Weckhuysen, F. Kapteijn, Jorge Gascon