Metal-organic framework membranes on the inner-side of a polymeric hollow fiber by microfluidic synthesis.

Polymeric hollow fiber membranes represent a high degree of process intensification closer to scaling-up. Metal-organic framework ZIF-7 and ZIF-8 continuous membranes were synthesized on the inner surface of a 520 μm outer diameter polysulfone hollow fiber using microfluidics. This provided a constant reactant concentration along the membrane for growing homogeneous, continuous and thin layers of ZIF-7 (2.4 μm) and ZIF-8 (3.6 μm) with good adherence. The high quality of the membranes and the zeolite-like sodalite porous structure of both MOFs with pore apertures of 0.30–0.34 nm allowed operation at high temperature (150 °C) and pressure (4 bar). High separation factors in CO 2 and H 2 containing mixtures were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]