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Lee TH, Balcik M, Ali Z, Joo T, Rivera MP, Pinnau I, Smith ZP. Microporous polyimine membranes for efficient separation of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures. Science 2025; 388:839-844. [PMID: 40403073 DOI: 10.1126/science.adv6886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2025] [Accepted: 03/27/2025] [Indexed: 05/24/2025]
Abstract
Interfacial polymerization has been an industrial standard for preparing desalination membranes. Extending the same concept to molecular separation of organic solvents would be a key enabler for the decarbonization of the chemical and petrochemical industries through energy-efficient crude or biocrude oil fractionation. Here, we report a molecular engineering approach based on acid-catalyzed interfacial polymerization for efficient hydrocarbon separation. The design strategies include (i) changing the linkage from amide to imine and (ii) subsequent introduction of shape-persistent units such as triptycene and spirobifluorene. The prepared polyimine membranes exhibit ultrahigh microporosity and enhanced swelling and plasticization resistance compared with conventional polyamide counterparts. These membranes, which feature fast and selective transport of hydrocarbons, including multicomponent and industrially relevant mixtures, outperform commercial and state-of-the-art benchmark membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Hoon Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Future Energy Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Marcel Balcik
- Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Chemical Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zain Ali
- Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Chemical Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Osmoflo Water Management Pty Ltd., Burton, SA, Australia
| | - Taigyu Joo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Matthew P Rivera
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ingo Pinnau
- Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Chemical Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zachary P Smith
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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2
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Ren Y, Ma H, Kim J, Al Otmi M, Lin P, Dai C, Lee YJ, Zhai Z, Jang WJ, Yang S, Sarswat A, Feliachi Y, Sampath J, Realff MJ, Lively RP, Guo S. Fluorine-rich poly(arylene amine) membranes for the separation of liquid aliphatic compounds. Science 2025; 387:208-214. [PMID: 39787241 DOI: 10.1126/science.adp2619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 11/26/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2025]
Abstract
We explored the potential for membrane materials to reduce energy and carbon requirements for the separation of aliphatic hydrocarbon feedstocks and products. We developed a series of fluorine-rich poly(arylene amine) polymer membranes that feature rigid polymer backbones with segregated perfluoroalkyl side chains. This combination imbues the polymers with resistance to dilation induced by hydrocarbon immersion without the loss of solution-based membrane fabrication techniques. These materials exhibit good separation of liquid-phase alkane isomers at ambient temperatures. The integration of these polymeric membranes into fuel and chemical feedstock separation processes was investigated in a series of experiments. Technoeconomic analyses based on these experiments indicate that the best-performing membrane materials can substantially reduce the energy costs and associated carbon emissions of hydrocarbon separations (two to 10 times, depending on product specifications).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ren
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, MOE Key Laboratory of High-Performance Polymer Materials & Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinsu Kim
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Petrochemical Materials, Chonnam National University, Yeosu-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohammed Al Otmi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ping Lin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Changhui Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, MOE Key Laboratory of High-Performance Polymer Materials & Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Young Joo Lee
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zihan Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, MOE Key Laboratory of High-Performance Polymer Materials & Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Woo Jin Jang
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shijie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, MOE Key Laboratory of High-Performance Polymer Materials & Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Akriti Sarswat
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yacine Feliachi
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Janani Sampath
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Matthew J Realff
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ryan P Lively
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sheng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, MOE Key Laboratory of High-Performance Polymer Materials & Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Lee TH, Balcik M, Wu WN, Pinnau I, Smith ZP. Dual-phase microporous polymer nanofilms by interfacial polymerization for ultrafast molecular separation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadp6666. [PMID: 39141741 PMCID: PMC11323956 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp6666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Fine-tuning microporosity in polymers with a scalable method has great potential for energy-efficient molecular separations. Here, we report a dual-phase molecular engineering approach to prepare microporous polymer nanofilms through interfacial polymerization. By integrating two micropore-generating units such as a water-soluble Tröger's base diamine (TBD) and a contorted spirobifluorene (SBF) motif, the resultant TBD-SBF polyamide shows an unprecedentedly high surface area. An ultrathin TBD-SBF membrane (~20 nm) exhibits up to 220 times improved solvent permeance with a moderate molecular weight cutoff (~640 g mol-1) compared to the control membrane prepared by conventional chemistry, which outperforms currently reported polymeric membranes. We also highlight the great potential of the SBF-based microporous polyamides for hydrocarbon separations by exploring the isomeric effects of aqueous phase monomers to manipulate microporosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Hoon Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Marcel Balcik
- Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Chemical Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wan-Ni Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ingo Pinnau
- Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Chemical Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zachary P. Smith
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Choi J, Choi K, Kwon Y, Kim D, Yoo Y, Im SG, Koh DY. Ultrathin organosiloxane membrane for precision organic solvent nanofiltration. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2800. [PMID: 38555289 PMCID: PMC10981765 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47115-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Promising advances in membrane technology can lead to energy-saving and eco-friendly solutions in industrial sectors. This work demonstrates a highly selective membrane with ultrathin and highly interconnected organosiloxane polymer nanolayers by initiated chemical vapor deposition to effectively separate solutes within the molecular weight range of 150-300 g mol-1. We optimize the poly(1,3,5,7-tetravinyl-1,3,5,7-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane) membrane by adjusting both the thickness of the selective layer and the pore sizes of its support membranes. Notably, the 29 nm selective layer imparts a uniformly narrow molecular sieving property, providing a record-high solute-solute selectivity of 39.88 for different-sized solutes. Furthermore, a solute-solute selectivity of 11.04 was demonstrated using the real-world active pharmaceutical ingredient mixture of Acyclovir and Valacyclovir, key components for Herpes virus treatment, despite their molecular weight difference of less than 100 g mol-1. The highly interconnected membrane is expected to meet rigorous requirements for high-standard active pharmaceutical ingredient separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihoon Choi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Four), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Keonwoo Choi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Four), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - YongSung Kwon
- Green Carbon Research Center, Chemical Process Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Daehun Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Four), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Green Carbon Research Center, Chemical Process Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngmin Yoo
- Green Carbon Research Center, Chemical Process Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Gap Im
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Four), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- KAIST Institute for NanoCentury, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dong-Yeun Koh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Four), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- KAIST Institute for NanoCentury, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Lee YJ, Chen L, Nistane J, Jang HY, Weber DJ, Scott JK, Rangnekar ND, Marshall BD, Li W, Johnson JR, Bruno NC, Finn MG, Ramprasad R, Lively RP. Data-driven predictions of complex organic mixture permeation in polymer membranes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4931. [PMID: 37582784 PMCID: PMC10427679 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40257-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane-based organic solvent separations are rapidly emerging as a promising class of technologies for enhancing the energy efficiency of existing separation and purification systems. Polymeric membranes have shown promise in the fractionation or splitting of complex mixtures of organic molecules such as crude oil. Determining the separation performance of a polymer membrane when challenged with a complex mixture has thus far occurred in an ad hoc manner, and methods to predict the performance based on mixture composition and polymer chemistry are unavailable. Here, we combine physics-informed machine learning algorithms (ML) and mass transport simulations to create an integrated predictive model for the separation of complex mixtures containing up to 400 components via any arbitrary linear polymer membrane. We experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of the model by predicting the separation of two crude oils within 6-7% of the measurements. Integration of ML predictors of diffusion and sorption properties of molecules with transport simulators enables for the rapid screening of polymer membranes prior to physical experimentation for the separation of complex liquid mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Joo Lee
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Lihua Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Janhavi Nistane
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Hye Youn Jang
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Dylan J Weber
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Joseph K Scott
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Neel D Rangnekar
- ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ, 08801, USA
| | - Bennett D Marshall
- ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ, 08801, USA
| | - Wenjun Li
- ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ, 08801, USA
| | - J R Johnson
- ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ, 08801, USA
| | - Nicholas C Bruno
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - M G Finn
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Rampi Ramprasad
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
| | - Ryan P Lively
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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Rivera MP, Lively RP. Analysis of gas transport in molecularly-mixed composite membranes. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Lau HS, Lau SK, Soh LS, Hong SU, Gok XY, Yi S, Yong WF. State-of-the-Art Organic- and Inorganic-Based Hollow Fiber Membranes in Liquid and Gas Applications: Looking Back and Beyond. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:539. [PMID: 35629866 PMCID: PMC9144028 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12050539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aggravation of environmental problems such as water scarcity and air pollution has called upon the need for a sustainable solution globally. Membrane technology, owing to its simplicity, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness, has emerged as one of the favorable technologies for water and air purification. Among all of the membrane configurations, hollow fiber membranes hold promise due to their outstanding packing density and ease of module assembly. Herein, this review systematically outlines the fundamentals of hollow fiber membranes, which comprise the structural analyses and phase inversion mechanism. Furthermore, illustrations of the latest advances in the fabrication of organic, inorganic, and composite hollow fiber membranes are presented. Key findings on the utilization of hollow fiber membranes in microfiltration (MF), nanofiltration (NF), reverse osmosis (RO), forward osmosis (FO), pervaporation, gas and vapor separation, membrane distillation, and membrane contactor are also reported. Moreover, the applications in nuclear waste treatment and biomedical fields such as hemodialysis and drug delivery are emphasized. Subsequently, the emerging R&D areas, precisely on green fabrication and modification techniques as well as sustainable materials for hollow fiber membranes, are highlighted. Last but not least, this review offers invigorating perspectives on the future directions for the design of next-generation hollow fiber membranes for various applications. As such, the comprehensive and critical insights gained in this review are anticipated to provide a new research doorway to stimulate the future development and optimization of hollow fiber membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Shen Lau
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia; (H.S.L.); (S.K.L.); (L.S.S.); (S.U.H.); (X.Y.G.)
| | - Siew Kei Lau
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia; (H.S.L.); (S.K.L.); (L.S.S.); (S.U.H.); (X.Y.G.)
| | - Leong Sing Soh
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia; (H.S.L.); (S.K.L.); (L.S.S.); (S.U.H.); (X.Y.G.)
| | - Seang Uyin Hong
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia; (H.S.L.); (S.K.L.); (L.S.S.); (S.U.H.); (X.Y.G.)
| | - Xie Yuen Gok
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia; (H.S.L.); (S.K.L.); (L.S.S.); (S.U.H.); (X.Y.G.)
| | - Shouliang Yi
- U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 626 Cochrans Mill Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA;
| | - Wai Fen Yong
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia; (H.S.L.); (S.K.L.); (L.S.S.); (S.U.H.); (X.Y.G.)
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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Rivera MP, Liu M, He D, Lively RP. Tuning Material Properties of Porous Organic Cage CC3 with Postsynthetic Dynamic Covalent Chemistry. European J Org Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.202101507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P. Rivera
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA, 30332 USA
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory University of Liverpool Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Donglin He
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory University of Liverpool Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Ryan P. Lively
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA, 30332 USA
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