Fabrication of a Substituted Imidazolate Material 1 (SIM-1) membrane using post synthetic modification (PSM) for pervaporation of water/ethanol mixtures

• DOI: 10.1007/s10934-015-0005-y
• Publication Date: 2015-07-15T13:06:10Z
• Authors: Anne M. Marti; Daniel Tran; Kenneth J. Balkus
• Keywords: Zeolitic imidazolate framework; Pervaporation; Ethylene diamine; Imidazolate; Surface Modification

Post synthetic modification (PSM) of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) is a useful tactic used amongst researchers to refine a MOF’s properties for an application of interest. In this report, we post synthetically modified a MOF known as Substituted Imidazolate Material 1 (SIM-1) to refine its molecular sieving potential. PSM of ethylenediamine, EDA, vapor was applied to a SIM-1 wafer. EDA cross-linked MOF crystals together through a Schiff base condensation reaction with SIM-1’s reactive aldehyde linker forming a free- standing SIM-1 membrane. The membranes were tested for the separation of water from water/ethanol mixtures at room temperature. Results show that only water was detected by GC for all SIM-1 membrane permeates; this was consistent over the course of three separation cycles, whereas SIM-1 wafers without PSM fall apart after one separation cycle.