Microporous Polymer Adsorptive Membranes with High Processing Capacity for Molecular Separation
Zhenggong Wang1,2, Xiaofan Luo3, Zejun Song3, Kuan Lu4, Shouwen Zhu1,2, Yanshao Yang3, Yatao Zhang5, Wangxi Fang3,* & Jian Jin 1,2,*
1 Soochow Univ, Innovat Ctr Chem Sci, Coll Chem Chem Engn & Mat Sci, Suzhou, Peoples R China
2 Soochow Univ, Collaborat Innovat Ctr Suzhou Nano Sci & Technol, Suzhou, Peoples R China
3 Chinese Acad Sci, Suzhou Inst Nanotech & Nanobion, I Lab, Suzhou, Peoples R China
4 Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Coal Chem, State Key Lab Coal Convers, Xian, Shanxi, Peoples R China
5 Zhengzhou Univ, Sch Chem Engn & Energy, Zhengzhou, Peoples R China
Nat. Commun.2022,13,4169
Trade-off between permeability and nanometer-level selectivity is an inherent shortcoming of membrane-based separation of molecules, while most highly porous materials with high adsorption capacity lack solution processability and stability for achieving adsorption-based molecule separation. We hereby report a hydrophilic amidoxime modified polymer of intrinsic microporosity (AOPIM-1) as a membrane adsorption material to selectively adsorb and separate small organic molecules from water with ultrahigh processing capacity. The membrane adsorption capacity for Rhodamine B reaches 26.114 g m−2, 10–1000 times higher than previously reported adsorptive membranes. Meanwhile, the membrane achieves >99.9% removal of various nano-sized organic molecules with water flux 2 orders of magnitude higher than typical pressure-driven membranes of similar rejections. This work confirms the feasibility of microporous polymers for membrane adsorption with high capacity, and provides the possibility of adsorptive membranes for molecular separation.
