Interactive Thermal Effects on Metal-Organic Framework Polymer Composite Membranes

Polymeric membranes are important tools for intensifying separation processes in chemical industries, concerning strategic tasks such as CO2 sequestration, H2 production, and water supply and disposal. Mixed-matrix and supported membranes have been widely developed; recently many of them have been based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). However, most of the impacts MOFs have within the polymer matrix have yet to be determined. The effects related to thermal behavior arising from the combination of MOF ZIF-8 and polysulfone have now been quantified. The catalyzed oxidation of the polymer is strongly affected by the MOF crystal size and distribution inside the membrane. A 16 wt % 140 nm-sized ZIF-8 loading causes a 40 % decrease in the observed activation energy of the polysulfone oxidation that takes place at a temperature (545 °C) 80 °C lower than in the raw polymer (625 °C).