The Difference in Performance and Compatibility between Crystalline and Amorphous Fillers in Mixed Matrix Membranes for Gas Separation (MMMs).

An increasing number of high-performing gas separation membranes is reported almost on a daily basis, yet only a few of them have reached commercialisation while the rest are still considered pure research outcomes. This is often attributable to a rapid change in the performance of these separation systems over a relatively short time. A common approach to address this issue is the development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs).

CO Separation by Imide/Imine Organic Cages.

Invited for the cover of this issue are the groups of Valeria Amendola at the University of Pavia, Mariolino Carta at the University of Swansea, and Johannes C. Jansen at the CNR-ITM. The image depicts one of the novel imide/imine organic cages that were employed as fillers in mixed-matrix membranes for the selective separation of CO from N and CH .

Tröger's Base Network Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (TB-PIMs) with Tunable Pore Size for Heterogeneous Catalysis.

Heterogeneous catalysis plays a pivotal role in the preparation of value-added chemicals, and it works more efficiently when combined with porous materials and supports. Because of that, a detailed assessment of porosity and pore size is essential when evaluating the performance of new heterogeneous catalysts. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a series of novel microporous Tröger's base polymers and copolymers (TB-PIMs) with tunable pore size.

CO Separation by Imide/Imine Organic Cages.

Two novel imide/imine-based organic cages have been prepared and studied as materials for the selective separation of CO from N and CH under vacuum swing adsorption conditions. Gas adsorption on the new compounds showed selectivity for CO over N and CH . The cages were also tested as fillers in mixed-matrix membranes for gas separation.

Adjustable Functionalization of Hyper-Cross-Linked Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity for Enhanced CO Adsorption and Selectivity over N and CH.

In this paper, we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of a series of hyper-cross-linked polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs), with high CO uptake and good CO/N and CO/CH selectivity, which makes them competitive for carbon capture and biogas upgrading. The starting hydrocarbon polymers' backbones were functionalized with groups such as -NO, -NH, and -HSO, with the aim of tuning their adsorption selectivity toward CO over nitrogen and methane. This led to a significant improvement in the performance in the potential separation of these gases.

Selective oxidation catalysts obtained by immobilization of iron(III) porphyrins on thiosalicylic acid-modified Mg-Al layered double hydroxides.

Nitrate-intercalated Mg-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were synthesized and exfoliated in formamide. Reaction of the single layer suspension with thiosalicylic acid under different conditions afforded two types of solids: LDHA1, in which the outer surface was modified with the anion thiosalicylate, and LDHA2, which contained the anion thiosalicylate intercalated between the LDH layers. LDHA1 and LDHA2 were used as supports to immobilize neutral (FeP1 and FeP2) and anionic (FeP3) iron(III) porphyrins.