The separation of CO2 from light gases is a very important environmental and energy issue. The state-of-the-art process for the purification of CO2 uses amine adsorption, which is a complex, and costly approach. Membrane separation technology is far less expensive and requires less energy consumption. Although polymeric and zeolite membranes can separate CO2 from light gases, the development of superior performance membranes for gas mixture separations requires novel materials with fundamentally different structural, compositional, adsorption and transport properties than those of polymers and zeolites. In this respect, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) a subclass of metal organic frameworks, have emerged as a novel type of crystalline porous materials which combine highly desirable properties, such as uniform micropores, high surface areas, and exceptional thermal and chemical stability, making them ideal candidates for molecular separations. This proposal aims at demonstrating the potential of ZIFs as membranes for the separation of CO2 from light gases.
The central intellectual thrust of this career proposal is to establish a solid fundamental science program leading to the rational design of a novel family of membranes, composed of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks which offer the possibility of demonstrating high separation performance for carbon dioxide purification from light gases, and other important functional gas separations. The specific research objectives are: 1)Rational design of a novel family of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) membranes for CO2 purification from light gases; 2)Develop facile chemical synthesis strategies to rationally modify the pore structure and functionality of the ZIF membranes; 3)Elucidate and understand the basic formation mechanisms governing the transformation of precursor solutions into zeolitic imidazolate framework phases; and 4)Establish the fundamental structure/separation relationships of ZIF membranes in relevant functional gas separations such as CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2. If successful, this career development plan will establish the viability of novel self-assembly and synthesis concepts as general approaches for a broad range of functional zeolitic imidazolate framework membranes with tunable architectures, surface chemistry, and porosities for applications in relevant industrial gas separations, including CO2 capture from natural gas and flue gas. It will represent an important advance in the rational design of a subclass of metal organic framework membranes and in fundamental understanding of its structure/separation relationships.
A parallel objective of this proposal is to effectively integrate the proposed research activities with education and outreach programs to provide significant educational opportunities at the undergraduate, graduate and community levels. The educational outreach of the proposed career plan spans from a dual level course on molecular engineering of functional nanoporous materials, inclusion of underrepresented groups in undergraduate education, international collaboration, recruitment of minorities for graduate studies, and a short course for high school teachers. The results of this project will be disseminated to the scientific community through journal publications, conference presentations and technical seminars, and will be implemented in course material lectures taught by the PI to benefit the student body interested in membrane science, separation processes and advanced materials. The educational activities have already resulted in a funded international collaboration as a platform for minority student recruitment; undergraduate minority student research participation in the PI laboratory; recruitment of Mexican students for the PhD program in Chemical Engineering Department at University of Louisville and the establishment of a program called HISPAIRE (Hispanics with Interest in the Requisites for Engineering), aimed at recruiting Hispanic and Latino students.
