Enhanced CO2 separation of mixed matrix membranes with ZIF-8@GO composites as fillers: Effect of reaction time of ZIF-8@GO.

Through rational integration of ZIF-8@GO and PEDM, membrane separation performance can pass the Robeson's upper. • PEDM/ZIF-8@GO mixed matrix membranes were prepared for CO 2 removal from N 2. • Reaction time of ZIF-8@GO plays an important role in determining gas separation performance of MMMs. • PEDM/ZIF-8@GO-6-6 had CO 2 permeability of 475 Barrer and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of 58.2. In this study, a facile and scalable in situ growth method was used to synthesize ZIF-8@GO composites. The obtained ZIF-8@GO were blended with a CO 2 -philic, comb copolymer yielding a series of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), which were evaluated for their performance in separation of CO 2 /N 2. The effect of reaction time for ZIF-8@GO composites on gas separation performance was systematically investigated. Pure and mixture gas permeation tests indicated that MMM with ZIF-8@GO by in situ growth for 6 h exhibited the largest improvement (CO 2 permeability: 475 Barrer and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity: 58.2) compared with pure polymers, with the overall CO 2 /N 2 separation performance exceeding the 2008 polymer upper bound. Our strategy that the in situ growth of ZIF-8 on GO provides an effective way to design MMMs with well filler dispersion, structural features and separation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]