1
|
Tan X, Robijns S, Thür R, Ke Q, De Witte N, Lamaire A, Li Y, Aslam I, Van Havere D, Donckels T, Van Assche T, Van Speybroeck V, Dusselier M, Vankelecom I. Truly combining the advantages of polymeric and zeolite membranes for gas separations. Science 2022; 378:1189-1194. [PMID: 36520897 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade1411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) have been investigated to render energy-intensive separations more efficiently by combining the selectivity and permeability performance, robustness, and nonaging properties of the filler with the easy processing, handling, and scaling up of the polymer. However, truly combining all in one single material has proven very challenging. In this work, we filled a commercial polyimide with ultrahigh loadings of a high-aspect ratio, CO2-philic Na-SSZ-39 zeolite with a three-dimensional channel system that precisely separates gas molecules. By carefully designing both zeolite and MMM synthesis, we created a gas-percolation highway across a flexible and aging-resistant (more than 1 year) membrane. The combination of a CO2-CH4 mixed-gas selectivity of ~423 and a CO2 permeability of ~8300 Barrer outperformed all existing polymer-based membranes and even most zeolite-only membranes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Tan
- Centre for Membrane Separations, Adsorption, Catalysis and Spectroscopy for Sustainable Solutions (cMACS), KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sven Robijns
- Center for Sustainable Catalysis and Engineering, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Raymond Thür
- Centre for Membrane Separations, Adsorption, Catalysis and Spectroscopy for Sustainable Solutions (cMACS), KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Quanli Ke
- Center for Sustainable Catalysis and Engineering, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Niels De Witte
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Aran Lamaire
- Center for Molecular Modeling, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park, Technologiepark 46, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Yun Li
- Centre for Membrane Separations, Adsorption, Catalysis and Spectroscopy for Sustainable Solutions (cMACS), KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Imran Aslam
- Centre for Membrane Separations, Adsorption, Catalysis and Spectroscopy for Sustainable Solutions (cMACS), KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daan Van Havere
- Centre for Membrane Separations, Adsorption, Catalysis and Spectroscopy for Sustainable Solutions (cMACS), KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thibaut Donckels
- Center for Sustainable Catalysis and Engineering, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tom Van Assche
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Veronique Van Speybroeck
- Center for Molecular Modeling, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park, Technologiepark 46, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Michiel Dusselier
- Center for Sustainable Catalysis and Engineering, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ivo Vankelecom
- Centre for Membrane Separations, Adsorption, Catalysis and Spectroscopy for Sustainable Solutions (cMACS), KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Elvira KS, Gielen F, Tsai SSH, Nightingale AM. Materials and methods for droplet microfluidic device fabrication. Lab Chip 2022; 22:859-875. [PMID: 35170611 PMCID: PMC9074766 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00836f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Since the first reports two decades ago, droplet-based systems have emerged as a compelling tool for microbiological and (bio)chemical science, with droplet flow providing multiple advantages over standard single-phase microfluidics such as removal of Taylor dispersion, enhanced mixing, isolation of droplet contents from surfaces, and the ability to contain and address individual cells or biomolecules. Typically, a droplet microfluidic device is designed to produce droplets with well-defined sizes and compositions that flow through the device without interacting with channel walls. Successful droplet flow is fundamentally dependent on the microfluidic device - not only its geometry but moreover how the channel surfaces interact with the fluids. Here we summarise the materials and fabrication techniques required to make microfluidic devices that deliver controlled uniform droplet flow, looking not just at physical fabrication methods, but moreover how to select and modify surfaces to yield the required surface/fluid interactions. We describe the various materials, surface modification techniques, and channel geometry approaches that can be used, and give examples of the decision process when determining which material or method to use by describing the design process for five different devices with applications ranging from field-deployable chemical analysers to water-in-water droplet creation. Finally we consider how droplet microfluidic device fabrication is changing and will change in the future, and what challenges remain to be addressed in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S Elvira
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Fabrice Gielen
- Living Systems Institute, College of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Scott S H Tsai
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, ON, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Technology (iBEST)-a partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, ON, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, ON, Canada
| | - Adrian M Nightingale
- Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
- Centre of Excellence for Continuous Digital Chemical Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|