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Engineering Porous Polymer Hollow Fiber Microfluidic Reactors for Sustainable C-H Functionalization
Yingxin He1, Fateme Rezaei1, Shubhender Kapila2
1Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology , 1101 North State Street, Rolla, Missouri 65409, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|May 3, 2017
Summary
New polyamide-imide (PAI) hollow fibers, functionalized with palladium (Pd), demonstrate stable and efficient catalysis for Heck coupling reactions. These microfluidic reactors effectively prevent catalyst leaching, ensuring long-term performance in challenging conditions.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Catalysis
Background:
- Polyamide-imide (PAI) hollow fibers offer potential for microfluidic applications.
- Developing stable and reusable catalytic systems is crucial for sustainable chemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create novel, hydrophilic, and solvent-stable PAI hollow fiber-based microfluidic reactors.
- To immobilize catalytically active palladium (Pd(II)) ions onto PAI hollow fibers for heterogeneous catalysis.
- To evaluate the catalytic performance and stability of the developed composite hollow fiber reactors in Heck coupling reactions.
Main Methods:
- Cross-linking of bare PAI hollow fibers with 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APS).
- Covalent functionalization of APS-grafted PAI hollow fibers with salicylic aldehyde.
- Immobilization of Pd(II) ions onto the functionalized hollow fibers.
- Testing catalytic activity in heterogeneous Heck coupling reactions under batch and continuous-flow conditions.
- Analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) to assess Pd(II) loading and leaching.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized hydrophilic and solvent-stable PAI hollow fibers.
- Achieved stable immobilization of Pd(II) ions via covalent postmodification.
- Demonstrated efficient catalytic activity in Heck coupling reactions at high temperature (120 °C) and low pressure.
- XPS and ICP analyses confirmed minimal to no Pd(II) leaching from the composite hollow fibers after recycling.
- The composite hollow fiber microfluidic reactors exhibited long-term stability and excellent control over palladium species leaching.
Conclusions:
- The developed Pd(II)-immobilized APS-grafted PAI hollow fiber microfluidic reactors are highly effective for heterogeneous Heck coupling.
- These reactors offer superior stability and minimal catalyst leaching, making them suitable for demanding chemical processes.
- The study presents a promising platform for designing robust and reusable catalytic microfluidic systems.
