Synergistic Effect of Co-Filler Mixed Matrix Membrane in Gas Permeation and Separation Processes

Membranes for gas separation have already become a promising field of technology offering manyprocessing and cost advantages. The appearance of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), where fillers havebeen added to a polymer slurry before casting, has further improved the gas permeability and selectivity ofplain polymer membranes. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were natural candidates for this enhancement.However, there is a lack of literature on the effect of “co-filler” MMMs, a term coined by us, wheresynergistic interaction should take place. This proposal describes a detailed plan, starting from the synthesisof MOFs, casting of MMMs, and confirmation of membrane structure using X-ray diffraction and scanningelectron microscopy, and quantifying particle-matrix interaction using differential scanning calorimetry andFTIR. Finally, gas transport properties including single-gas permeation and gas pair selectivity will bemeasured to verify whether co-filler does indeed increase membrane performance.