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Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Layer-by-layer Synthesis and Transfer of Freestanding Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanomembranes
Published on: December 15, 2015
Microenvironment Engineering of Conjugated Microporous Polymer Membranes Enabling Ultrahigh Solvent Permeability and
Zi-Meng Xu1, Zhen Chen1, Xiao-Feng Zhong1
1School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), OFMMT, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, P. R. China.
None:
Mass transfer intensification in separation technologies requires membranes with precisely engineered pore architectures and chemistry, as well as scalable fabrication. Herein, the first large-scale conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) composite membranes have been fabricated via solution-processable superacid-catalyzed ketone condensation, exhibiting ultrahigh solvent permeability and exceptional chemical stability. Molecular microenvironment engineering of CMPs via incorporation of fluorinated moieties achieves hierarchical free-volume control and forms confined mass transfer nanochannels with low surface energy. The fluorinated CMP (Fx-CMP) membranes deliver the highest structural parameter (ε/τ) and a record n-hexane permeability of 2272 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 nm, reported to date among polymer membranes. The inertness of C-F bonds, coupled with fluorine-induced reduction in aryl electrophilicity, confers exceptional resistance to 18 M H2SO4, surpassing all previously reported acid-resistant membranes. When applied to separate active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the Fx-CMP membrane achieved a 50-fold enrichment of API within 2.2 h, with a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional thermal separation processes.
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