Hierarchical Nanostructures of Metal-Organic Frameworks Applied in Gas Separating ZIF-8-on-ZIF-67 Membranes

Membranes from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly interesting for industrial gas separation applications. Strongly improved performances for carbon capture and H-2 purification tasks in MOF membranes are obtained by using highly reproducable and very accuratly, hierarchically grown ZIF-8-on-ZIF-67 (ZIF-8@ZIF-67) nanostructures. To forgo hardly controllable solvothermal synthesis, particles and layers are prepared by self-assembling methods. It was possible for the first time to confirm ZIF-8-on-ZIF-67 membrane growth on rough and porous ceramic supports using the layer-by-layer deposition. Additionally, hierarchical particles are made in a fast RT synthesis with high monodispersity. Characterization of the hierarchical and epitaxial grown layers and particles is performed by SEM, TEM, EDXM and gas permeation. The system ZIF-8@ZIF-67 shows a nearly doubled H-2/CO2 separation factor, regardless of whether neat membrane or mixed-matrix-membrane in comparison to other MOF materials.