Covalent organic framework membranes through a mixed-dimensional assembly for molecular separations

Hao Yang; Leixin Yang; Hongjian Wang; Ziang Xu; Yumeng Zhao; Yi Luo; Nayab Nasir; Yimeng Song; Hong Wu; Fusheng Pan; Zhongyi Jiang

doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10157-5

Covalent organic framework membranes through a mixed-dimensional assembly for molecular separations

Nat Commun. 2019 May 8;10(1):2101. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10157-5.

Authors

Hao Yang^{1

2}, Leixin Yang^{1

2}, Hongjian Wang^{1

2}, Ziang Xu^{1

2}, Yumeng Zhao^{1

2}, Yi Luo^{1

2}, Nayab Nasir^{1

2}, Yimeng Song^{1

2}, Hong Wu^{3

4

5}, Fusheng Pan^{6

7}, Zhongyi Jiang^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
² Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China.
³ Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China. wuhong@tju.edu.cn.
⁴ Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China. wuhong@tju.edu.cn.
⁵ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China. wuhong@tju.edu.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China. fspan@tju.edu.cn.
⁷ Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China. fspan@tju.edu.cn.
⁸ Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China. zhyjiang@tju.edu.cn.
⁹ Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China. zhyjiang@tju.edu.cn.

Abstract

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) hold great promise in molecular separations owing to their robust, ordered and tunable porous network structures. Currently, the pore size of COFs is usually much larger than most small molecules. Meanwhile, the weak interlamellar interaction between COF nanosheets impedes the preparation of defect-free membranes. Herein, we report a series of COF membranes through a mixed-dimensional assembly of 2D COF nanosheets and 1D cellulose nanofibers (CNFs). The pore size of 0.45-1.0 nm is acquired from the sheltering effect of CNFs, rendering membranes precise molecular sieving ability, besides the multiple interactions between COFs and CNFs elevate membrane stability. Accordingly, the membranes exhibit a flux of 8.53 kg m^-2 h^-1 with a separation factor of 3876 for n-butanol dehydration, and high permeance of 42.8 L m^-2 h^-1 bar^-1 with a rejection of 96.8% for Na₂SO₄ removal. Our mixed-dimensional design may inspire the fabrication and application of COF membranes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't