Towards High Performance MOF - Microporous Polymer Mixed Matrix Membranes: Addressing Compatibility and Limiting Aging via Polymer Doping

Membrane separation for gas purification is an energy-efficient and environment-friendly technology. However, the development of high performance membranes is still a great challenge. In principle, mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have the potential to overcome current materials limitations, but in practice there is no straightforward method to match the properties of fillers and polymers (the main components of MMMs) in such a way that the final membrane performance reflects the high performance of themicroporous filler and the processability of the continuous polymer phase. This issue is especially important when high flux polymers are utilized. In this work, we demonstrate that the use of small amounts of a glassy polymer in combination with high performance PIM-1 allow for the preparation of MOF based MMMs with superior separation properties and low aging rates under humid conditions, meeting the commercial target for post-combustion CO2 capture.