Molecular Sieve Membranes for Industrial Application: Problems, Progress, Solutions

Engineering Metal-Organic Frameworks for Selective Separation of Hexane Isomers Using 3-Dimensional Linkers

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly tunable materials with potential for use as porous media in non-thermal adsorption or membrane-based separations. However, many separations target molecules with sub-angstrom differences in size, requiring precise control over the pore size. Herein, we demonstrate that this precise control can be achieved by installing a three-dimensional linker in an MOF with one-dimensional channels. Specifically, we synthesized single crystals and bulk powder of NU-2002, an isostructural framework to MIL-53 with bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid as the organic linker component. Using variable-temperature X-ray diffraction studies, we show that increasing linker dimensionality limits structural breathing relative to MIL-53. Furthermore, single-component adsorption isotherms demonstrate the efficacy of this material for separating hexane isomers based on the different sizes and shapes of these isomers.

Ionothermal Synthesis of MnAPO-SOD Molecular Sieve without the Aid of Organic Structure-Directing Agents

An SOD-type metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieve (denoted as SOD-Mn) was ionothermally synthesized by introducing manganese(II) cations into the reaction mixture via MnO-acid or MnO2-reductant reactions. Composition and structure analyses results show that two kinds of manganese(II) cations exist in the SOD-Mn structure. Part of the manganese(II) cations isomorphously substitute the framework aluminum(III) with a substitution degree of ∼30%. The rest of the manganese(II) cations occupy a fraction of the sod cages in their hydrated forms. A comprehensive investigation of the synthesis parameters, crystal sizes, and crystallization kinetics indicates that the in situ released hydrated manganese(II) cations direct the formation of SOD-Mn. Such structure-directing effect may be inhibited by both the fluorination of manganese(II) cations and the water accumulation during crystallization. In the fluoride anion-containing reaction mixture with a low ionic liquid content, the crystallization process is strongly suppressed, and large SOD-Mn single crystals of over 200 μm in size are yielded. SOD-Mn is free from organics and shows improved thermal stability compared with metalloaluminophosphates synthesized by using organic structure-directing agents.

Synthesis of zeolite NaA membrane from fused fly ash extract

Zeolite-NaA membranes were synthesized from an extract of fused South African fly ash on a porous titanium support by a secondary growth method. The influence of the synthesis molar regime on the formation of zeolite NaA membrane layer was investigated. Two synthesis mixtures were generated by adding either aluminium hydroxide or sodium aluminate to the fused fly ash extract. The feedstock material and the synthesized membranes were characterized by X-diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). It was found by XRD and SEM that the cubic crystals of a typical zeolite NaA with a dense intergrown layer was formed on the porous Ti support. The study shows that the source of Al used had an effect on the membrane integrity as sodium aluminate provided the appropriate amount of Na(+) to form a coherent membrane of zeolite NaA, whereas aluminium hydroxide did not. Morphological, the single hydrothermal stage seeded support formed an interlocked array of zeolite NaA particles with neighbouring crystals. Also, a robust, continuous and well-intergrown zeolite NaA membrane was formed with neighbouring crystals of zeolite fused to each other after the multiple stage synthesis. The synthesized membrane was permeable to He (6.0 × 10(6) L m(-2)h(-1) atm(-1)) and CO2 (5.6 × 10(6) L m(-2)h(-1) atm(-1)), which indicate that the layer of the membrane was firmly attached to the porous Ti support. Membrane selectivity was maintained showing membrane integrity with permselectivity of 1.1, showing that a waste feedstock, fly ash, could be utilized for preparing robust zeolite NaA membranes on Ti support.

Direct Synthesis of Functional Zeolitic Materials

Recently, the direct synthesis of zeolitic materials has received much attention because several well-defined functionalities have been introduced in those materials by “one-pot” methodologies. The rationalization of the physics and chemistry of the processes involved in the zeolite growth has allowed the direct preparation of different functional molecular sieves with unique properties and potential applicability in industry. In the present paper, the “one-pot” preparations of metal-containing zeolites (both in framework and extra-framework positions), hybrid organic-inorganic molecular sieves, hierarchical microporous mesoporous zeotypes, nanosheets, nanozeolites, or template-free molecular sieves are intensively evaluated.