Abstract
Solvent separation and dehydration are important operations for industries and laboratories. Processes such as distillation and extraction are not always effective and are energy-consuming. An alternate approach is offered by pervaporation, based on the solution-diffusion transport mechanism. Polymer-based membranes such as those made of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) have offered good pervaporation performance. Attempts have been made to improve their performance by incorporating inorganic fillers into the PDMS matrix, in which metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have proven to be the most efficient. Among the MOFs, Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) based membranes have shown an excellent performance, with high values for flux and separation factors. Various studies have been conducted, employing ZIF-PDMS membranes for pervaporation separation of mixtures such as aqueous-alcoholic solutions. This paper presents an extensive review of the pervaporation performance of ZIF-based mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), novel synthesis methods, filler modifications, factors affecting membrane performance as well as studies based on polymers other than PDMS for the membrane matrix. Some suggestions for future studies have also been provided, such as the use of biopolymers and self-healing membranes.
Highlights
Solvent dehydration and solvent recovery by pervaporation (PV) is attracting extensive attention as PV is a highly efficient and low energy-consuming process [1,2]
This paper presents an extensive review of the pervaporation performance of Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-based mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), novel synthesis methods, filler modifications, factors affecting membrane performance as well as studies based on polymers other than PDMS for the membrane matrix
Mixed matrix membranes are the novel approach towards solvent separation and dehydration through the process of pervaporation
Summary
Solvent dehydration and solvent recovery by pervaporation (PV) is attracting extensive attention as PV is a highly efficient and low energy-consuming process [1,2]. The addition of fillers helps disrupt the original polymer packing in the matrix, thereby, increasing the free volume and the permeability [16] Such MMMs have proved to be promising candidates for liquid as well as gas separation [5], with their characteristics like high selectivity and flux and long-term stability, even under different operating conditions [2]. An extensive study on the pervaporation performance of ZIF based MMMS (in terms of flux and separation factor), novel synthesis methods, filler modifications, factors affecting membrane performance as well as studies based on polymers other than PDMS for the membrane matrix has been presented. Xu et al used a ZIF-90/PDMS membrane for the recovery of ethanol from an ethanol-water mixture [21]
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