Molecular sieving using metal–polymer coordination membranes in organic media

Abstract

Improving the chemical resistance of membranes without sacrificing their molecular sieving performance is highly challenging. Herein, a novel scalable methodology was developed for fabricating solvent-resistant nanofiltration membranes based on metal–polymer coordination (MPC) through a facile yet highly effective method. The controlled deposition of copper(I) iodide enabled the fine-tuning of the molecular sieving performance of MPC membranes by altering both their chemistry and morphology. Spectroscopic and morphological analyses were conducted to elucidate the microscopic and macroscopic properties of the membranes. The formation of coordination bonds between the metal and polybenzimidazole chains protected the membranes from dissolving in harsh organic solvents. Additionally, computational modeling was performed to reveal the stabilization energy and fractional free volume (FFV). Our work opens more sustainable avenues for robust membrane fabrication without conventional crosslinking, which requires reactive chemicals.