Tuning the Interplay between Selectivity and Permeability of ZIF-7 Mixed Matrix Membranes

Nanoparticles of zeolitic imidazolate framework-7 (nZIF-7) were blended with poly(ether imide) (PEI) to fabricate a new mixed-matrix membrane (nZIF-7/PEI). nZIF-7 was chosen in order to demonstrate the power of postsynthetic modification (PSM) by linker exchange of benzimidazolate to benzotriazolate for tuning the permeability and selectivity properties of a resulting membrane (PSM-nZIF-7/PEI). These two new membranes were subjected to constant volume, variable pressure gas permeation measurements (H₂, N₂, O₂, CH₄, CO₂, C₂H₆, and C₃H₈), in which unique gas separation behavior was observed when compared to the pure PEI membrane. Specifically, the nZIF-7/PEI membrane exhibited the highest selectivities for CO₂/CH₄, CO₂/C₂H₆, and CO₂/C₃H₈ gas pairs. Furthermore, PSM-nZIF-7/PEI membrane displayed the highest permeabilities, which resulted in H₂/CH₄, N₂/CH₄, and H₂/CO₂ permselectivities that are remarkably well-positioned on the Robeson upper bound curves, thus, indicating its potential applicability for use in practical gas purifications.