The development and characterization of noval mixed matrix membrane of polymer and metal organic framework composites for use in gas separation and purification

Metal organic frameworks are three dimensional porous rigid materials consisting of secondary building units (SBUs), which are inorganic metals linked to organic ligands. While MOFs are fundamentally crystalline and porous solids, polymers can be flexible, malleable, and processable. These absolute differences in the nature of MOFs and polymers have actuated scientists to combine crystalline MOFs and flexible polymers to create hybrids with the necessary characteristics of these various materials in order to be used in many applications such as gas and liquid separation and purification. Research groups have investigated a variety of techniques for MOF-polymer hybrid materials, including the synthesis of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), polymers grafted from MOF particles, polymers grafted via MOFs, polymers driving MOF growth, and the synthesis of MOFs utilizing polymer ligands. For the integration of MOF-polymer hybrid materials, these methods have used a wide range of polymers to generate form factors with specific polymer properties for a variety of applications, including separations, sensing, catalysis, and storage. The development of MOF-polymer hybrid materials with the features of MOFs in a flexible form factor will open the way for these materials to be used in the industrial world. We are attempting a new MMM synthesis in which an initial polymer-ZnO composite material is formed. Subsequent synthetic steps are then performed to convert the ZnO within the composite to HKUST-1 using literature techniques. Our synthetic method aims to remove some of the issues that result from other MMM syntheses. In this project, we were trying to synthesize a polyethyleneimine (PEI)-based composite with ZnO as a platform for generating an HKUST-1 containing mixed matrix membrane. For each sample generated we include a base polymer (PEI), ZnO, a cross linking or curing agent (glycerol diglycidyl ether, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether) and, in some instances, an agent to control curing rates (4-(2-aminoethyl) aniline, jeffamine (polyetheramines) and sodium hydroxide. The composite films are soaked in an aqueous solution of Cu(NO3)2 followed by soaking in an ethanol solution of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (H3BTC) and dimethyl formamide. Previous studies indicate that the PEI polymer in combination with HKUST-1 should be effective in separations of gas mixtures that contain CO2. Therefore, combining both Metal Oxide-MOFs and PEI polymer will conduct highly efficient CO2 gas separations. This product undergoes SEM, EDS, FTIR, and XRD analysis.