Bromomethylated poly(phenylene oxide) (BPPO)-assisted fabrication of UiO-66-NH2/BPPO/polyethersulfone mixed matrix membrane for enhanced gas separation

UiO-66-NH 2 nanocrystals were synthesized and embedded into bromomethylated poly(phenylene oxide)/polyethersulfone (BPPO/PES) polymer matrix to form UiO-66-NH 2 /BPPO/PES mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). The crystalline structure, interaction between UiO-66-NH 2 and BPPO, and dispersion of UiO-66-NH 2 were characterized by FTIR, XRD, and SEM. Nanoparticle dispersion was drastically enhanced with the assistance of BPPO, giving an improved adhesion between the polymer and filler particles. Owing to the intrinsic adsorption property of UiO-66-NH 2 and BPPO to CO 2 , the CO 2 permeability was significantly increased. As a result, the UiO-66-NH 2 /BPPO/PES membrane exhibited enhanced gas separation performance, where CO 2 /N 2 and H 2 /N 2 ideal selectivities were increased to 50.2 and 302.4 with a CO 2 permeability of 125.6 Barrer. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135 , 46759.