The production of MOFs at large scale in a sustainable way is key if these materials are to be exploited for their promised widespread application. Much of the published literature has focused on demonstrations of preparation routes using difficult or expensive methodologies to scale. One such MOF is nano-zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) - a material of interest for a range of possible applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe use of biomass for the production of energy and higher added value products is a topic of increasing interest in line with growing environmental concerns and circular economy. Mesoporous material Sn-In-MCM-41 was synthesized for the first time and used as a catalyst for the transformation of sugars to methyl lactate (ML). This catalyst was characterized in depth by various techniques and compared with Sn-MCM-41 and In-MCM-41 catalysts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolybenzimidazole (PBI) is a promising and suitable membrane polymer for the separation of the H/CO pre-combustion gas mixture due to its high performance in terms of chemical and thermal stability and intrinsic H/CO selectivity. However, there is a lack of long-term separation studies with this polymer, particularly when it is conformed as hollow fibre membrane. This work reports the continuous measurement of the H/CO separation properties of PBI hollow fibres, prepared as mixed matrix membranes with metal-organic framework (MOF) ZIF-8 as filler.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMetal organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently attracted considerable research interest in several fields from coordination chemistry and materials science to engineering and medicine not only due to energy and environmental issues but also due to the need for new paradigms of efficiency and sustainability according to the requirements of the 21st century global society. Because of their crystalline and organic-inorganic nature, they are able to crystallize constituting intergrown architectures ductile enough to be patterned, with the use of appropriate techniques, as nano- and micro-devices with multiple applications. This perspective comprehensively summarizes the recent state of the art in the use of top-down and bottom-up methodologies to create MOF structures with a defined pattern at the nano- and micro-scale.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of different deprotonators as well as washing steps and drying procedure on the synthesis of ZIF-8 from the mother liquor was investigated. The morphology, thermal stability, crystallinity, and surface area of the synthesized MOF were investigated. In addition, life-cycle assessment (LCA) or, in other words, eco-balance, was implemented as well.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present work is focused on the study of the effect that the casting solution concentration has on the morphology and gas separation performance of poly(ether--amide) copolymer membranes (Pebax MH 1657). With this aim, three different concentrations of Pebax MH 1657 in the casting solution (1, 3 and 5 wt%) were used to prepare dense membranes with a thickness of 40 µm. The morphology and thermal stability of all membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, rotational viscometry and thermogravimetric analyses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe novel concept of a microfluidic chip with an integrated three-dimensional fractal geometry with nanopores, acting as a gas transport membrane, is presented. The method of engineering the 3D fractal structure is based on a combination of anisotropic etching of silicon and corner lithography. The permeation of oxygen and carbon dioxide through the fractal membrane is measured and validated theoretically.
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