Development Of Mixed Matrix Membranes Research Articles

High-performance polybenzimidazole composite membranes doped with nitrogen-rich porous nanosheets for high-temperature fuel cells

Traditional phosphoric acid (PA) doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes encounter many issues when used in high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC), including the loss of PA within the membrane and limitations on conductivity. The mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) synergistically combine the advantages of pore fillers and polymer matrix, making them promising candidates for HT-PEMs. Interface compatibility is the main factor affecting the further development of MMMs. This research presented OPBI composite membranes filled with porous nanosheets, featuring average pore diameters of 2.83 nm, 3.38 nm, and 2.60 nm, respectively. The high aspect ratio and plentiful nitrogen components of the nanosheets increase the π-π and hydrogen bonding interactions with the polymer matrix, resulting in outstanding interface compatibility and mechanical properties of MMMs. The results of theoretical calculations indicate that there is a stronger interaction energy between the nanosheets and PA molecules, and the abundant pore structure within the nanosheets facilitates the absorption of PA molecules, leading to the formation of a continuous PA network. Consequently, MMMs exhibited enhanced proton conductivity, as well as improved PA absorption and retention. Furthermore, the effect of pore size distribution of nanofillers on the performance of MMMs were investigated. Membranes composed of nanosheets with large pore size showed a higher conductivity of 176.7 mS cm−1 at 200 °C, leading to excellent performance and stability in assembled H2/O2 fuel cells. This work offers valuable insights into the design of MMMs and high-performance HT-PEMs.

PVDF-Halloysite-Ceria multifunctional membrane for one-step treatment to industrial effluent

Industrial wastewater, containing diverse pollutants like dyes and oils, poses detrimental environmental challenges. Membrane technology addresses this complexity well but requires tailored nanofiller modifications that enhance hydrophilicity, oleophobicity, and antifouling potential for efficient separation. In this context, our work focuses on the development of mixed matrix membranes (PV-H-C) – PVDF, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), and ceria nanoparticles – for effective dye and oil-water emulsion separation, enabling high flux recovery. The tubular structure of HNTs, with a lumen, enables the encapsulation and controlled distribution of ceria nanoparticles, preventing their agglomeration and leading to more uniform dispersion within the membrane matrix. HNTs porous structure, high surface area, and numerous adsorption sites within its nanotubes excel in rapid dye adsorption and ceria’s inherent hydrophobic properties along with low surface energy, forms a barrier against oil adhesion and spreading. Optimal results were achieved by loading 2% HNT and 1% ceria in the PVDF matrix, ensuring improved membrane performance. HNTs enhanced hydrophilicity and achieved pure water permeate flux of 1698 L/m2.h.bar. Developed membranes are super-oleophobic with an underwater contact angle of 132° + 3° and show a 100% increase in dyes and oils separation efficiency as compared to the pristine PVDF membranes. This unique integration of ceria with halloysite nanotubes in PV-H-C membranes is pivotal, bestowing exceptional anti-fouling characteristics and reusability, while providing a one-step, comprehensive solution for the effective treatment of complex industrial wastewater that encompasses both oil and complex dyes.

The Difference in Performance and Compatibility between Crystalline and Amorphous Fillers in Mixed Matrix Membranes for Gas Separation (MMMs).

An increasing number of high-performing gas separation membranes is reported almost on a daily basis, yet only a few of them have reached commercialisation while the rest are still considered pure research outcomes. This is often attributable to a rapid change in the performance of these separation systems over a relatively short time. A common approach to address this issue is the development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). These hybrid systems typically utilise either crystalline or amorphous additives, so-called fillers, which are incorporated into polymeric membranes at different loadings, with the aim to improve and stabilise the final gas separation performance. After a general introduction to the most relevant models to describe the transport properties in MMMs, this review intends to investigate and discuss the main advantages and disadvantages derived from the inclusion of fillers of different morphologies. Particular emphasis will be given to the study of the compatibility at the interface between the filler and the matrix created by the two different classes of additives, the inorganic and crystalline fillers vs. their organic and amorphous counterparts. It will conclude with a brief summary of the main findings.

Pre-anchoring matrix onto zeolitic imidazolate frameworks towards defect-free mixed matrix membranes for efficient CO2 separation

Combined with the specific advantages of continuous polymer phase and dispersed filler phase, mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) possess the potential to serve as the next generation membrane materials. However, the further development of MMMs is hindered by a variety of challenges, such as the structural stability of fillers during processing, the homogeneity during the dispersion, the non-ideal interfacial morphology between matrix and filler. In this work, a strategy for pre-anchoring polymeric matrices to fillers was proposed, the amino group was introduced to ZIF-8 framework (ZIF-8-NH2) by mixed ligand method based on the principles of reticular chemistry, and the ZPX fillers were fabricated by pre-anchored Pebax onto the ZIF-8-NH2, the unique ZIF-8/pre-anchored Pebax/Pebax interfacial structure was fabricated. The as-prepared Pebax/ZPX-5(10) MMMs exhibited a competitive performance in CO2 capture: high CO2 permeability for 146.4 Barrer, excellent CO2/N2 selectivity for 88.3, which improved by 269.1% and 187.1% respectively, compared with Peabx membrane, the index of filler enhancement (Findex) was 2.79, and the Robeson upper bound (2008) was successfully surpassed. Our pre-anchoring strategy provided an alternative answer for the facile fabrication of voids-free MMMs.

Adsorption- and Displacement-Based Approaches for the Removal of Protein-Bound Uremic Toxins.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients rely on renal replacement therapies to survive. Hemodialysis (HD), the most widely applied treatment, is responsible for the removal of excess fluid and uremic toxins (UTs) from blood, particularly those with low molecular weight (MW < 500 Da). The development of high-flux membranes and more efficient treatment modes, such as hemodiafiltration, have resulted in improved removal rates of UTs in the middle molecular weight range. However, the concentrations of protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs) remain essentially untouched. Due to the high binding affinity to large proteins, such as albumin, PBUTs form large complexes (MW > 66 kDa) which are not removed during HD and their accumulation has been strongly associated with the increased morbidity and mortality of patients with ESRD. In this review, we describe adsorption- and displacement-based approaches currently being studied to enhance the removal of PBUTs. The development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) with selective adsorption properties, infusion of compounds capable of displacing UTs from their binding site on albumin, and competitive binding membranes show promising results, but the road to clinical application is still long, and further investigation is required.

Electrospun nanofibers of α-hematite/polyacrylonitrile/calcium carbonate/cellulose triacetate as a multifunctional platform in, wastewater treatment and remineralisation

Improving the properties of polymeric membranes for water filtration have inspired a lot of interest due to the undesirable long-term impacts. Some of the most recent achievements in this sector are the development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and thin-film nanocomposites (TFNs). Here we describe the development of a novel cellulose triacetate nanofiber membrane made of α-Fe2O3/polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/CaCO3/cellulose triacetate (CTA). This multi-functional membrane is capable of adsorption and removal of heavy metal ions as well as organic pollutants, photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and remineralisation of water. Further, the membrane showed very good stability in the pH regime of 3–9 (environmental interest) and in different solvents. Moreover, the membrane could sustainably remineralize water with calcium (95 mg/L) up to 7 days. The adsorption abilities of the α-Fe2O3/PAN/CaCO3/CTA (FPCC) nanofiber membrane for lead and copper were 91 % and 77 % percent for 100 mg/L initial concentration of lead and copper, according to the results. Methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange, (MO) two organic contaminants that pollute water, are removed effectively at the rate of 96 % and 95 %, respectively. The development of such a multi-functional membrane opens up a new opportunity for solving drinking water concerns in the context of environmental remediation.

Mixed Matrix Membranes for Sustainable Electrical Energy‐Saving Applications

AbstractThis work presents a technical investigation and review of the development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) employed in different applications to save electrical energy. The MMMs design has been recently adjusted and improved to restore more energy bulks. The important factors to control the performance of the MMMs are the penetrant type, membrane matrix, and polymer‐filler interface interactions. This study reviews the current methods to deal with dielectric MMMs and smart nanomembranes for energy saving. These methods include ferroelectric membrane fabrication, dielectric permittivity, conductive dopants, construction of nanocomposites with modified surfaces, and the usage of combined effects. Most chemists and scientists have dedicated all their efforts to develop the attributes of dielectric materials at various electric fields and to find their relationship with chemical construction, composite morphology, and particle density.

Preparation of Amino-Functional UiO-66/PIMs Mixed Matrix Membranes with [bmim][Tf2N] as Regulator for Enhanced Gas Separation

Development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) with excellent permeance and selectivity applied for gas separation has been the focus of world attention. However, preparation of high-quality MMMs still remains a big challenge due to the lack of enough interfacial interaction. Herein, ionic liquid (IL)-modified UiO-66-NH2 filler was first incorporated into microporous organic polymer material (PIM-1) to prepare dense and defect-free mixed matrix membranes via a coating modification and priming technique. IL [bmim][Tf2N] not only improves the hydrophobicity of UiO-66-NH2 and facilitates better dispersion of UiO-66-NH2 nanoparticles into PIM-1 matrix, but also promotes the affinity between MOFs and polymer, sharply reducing interface non-selective defects of MMMs. By using this strategy, we can not only facilely synthesize high-quality MMMs ignoring non-selective interfacial voids, but also structurally regulate MOF nanoparticles in the polymer substrate and greatly improve interface compatibility and stability of MMMs. The method also gives suitable level of generality for fabrication of versatile defect-free MMMs based on different combination of MOFs and PIMs. The prepared UiO-66-NH2@IL/PIM-1 membrane exhibited outstanding gas separation behavior with large CO2 permeation of 8283.4 Barrer and high CO2/N2 selectivity of 22.5.

Analysis of Organic-Inorganic Compatibility to Synthesis Defect Free Composite Membrane: A Review

Despite the excellent potential separation performance of the composite membrane, the incompatibility of organic membrane matrix with inorganic nanofiller has been remained as the major concern in producing a defect free composite membrane. Indeed, incompatibility between polymer and nanofiller caused fillers agglomeration, consequently, formed the interfacial void defect. When nanofillers are dispersed in the polymer dope, agglomeration tends to happen due to relatively large van der Waals forces of interaction. In the case of filler and polymer are not compatible, these forces will be dominant among the fillers, which caused the nanoparticles to attract to each, then induces aggregation. Such membrane defects inevitably lower the separation performances of the membrane. This review discussed the development of mixed matrix membrane, particularly on the concern of compatibility between polymer and nanofiller. Techniques to improve polymer-filler compatibility has been further discussed based on various modification and cross-linking strategies. Currently, the linker is studying experimentally to promote affinity between inorganic filler and the organic polymer. Indeed, this is time consuming and involves expensive research cost. In this review, an alternative technique using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation has also been elaborated to determine the efficiency of coupling agent to improve the matching of organic-inorganic materials, through the calculation of the molecular bonding energy. Theoretically, a multi-component system with lower energy than the total energy from its respective individual component can define as stable; hence, achieving polymer-filler compatibility.

Enhanced gas permeation performance of mixed matrix membranes containing polysulfone and modified mesoporous MCM-41

The aim of this study was the development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) based on silica MCM-41 dispersed in polysulfone (PSf) for the separation of carbon dioxide from methane. For this purpose, MCM-41 was synthesized by a hydrothermal method and was modified with 3-aminopropyltrietoxysilane (APTES). SEM, FTIR, BET and XRD analyses were used for characterization of the modified and unmodified particles. Then, various MMMs containing PSf at different weight percents (5, 10, 15 and 20) of modified and unmodified particles were prepared and the morphology and structure of the prepared membranes were studied using SEM and XRD analyses. Regardless of the particle type, the addition of MCM-41 to PSf caused an increase in gas permeability compared to a neat PSf membrane. Adding unmodified particles to PSf matrix resulted in undesirable effects, including particle agglomeration and/or the formation of interfacial voids. The MMMs with modified MCM-41 showed relatively better separation performance compared to MMMs with unmodified MCM-41. As a result, the MMM of PSf with 20 wt. % modified MCM-41 showed a significant increase in selectivity of carbon dioxide/methane and the value of selectivity reached 25.24.

Functionalized KIT-6/Polysulfone Mixed Matrix Membranes for Enhanced CO2/CH4 Gas Separation.

The development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for effective gas separation has been gaining popularity in recent years. The current study aimed at the fabrication of MMMs incorporated with various loadings (0–4 wt%) of functionalized KIT-6 (NH2KIT-6) [KIT: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology] for enhanced gas permeation and separation performance. NH2KIT-6 was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and N2 adsorption–desorption analysis. The fabricated membranes were subjected to FESEM and FTIR analyses. The effect of NH2KIT-6 loading on the CO2 permeability and ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity of the fabricated membranes were investigated in gas permeation and separation studies. The successfulness of (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) functionalization on KIT-6 was confirmed by FTIR analysis. As observed from FESEM images, MMMs with no voids in the matrix were successfully fabricated at a low NH2KIT-6 loading of 0 to 2 wt%. The CO2 permeability and ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity increased when NH2KIT-6 loading was increased from 0 to 2 wt%. However, a further increase in NH2KIT-6 loading beyond 2 wt% led to a drop in ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity. In the current study, a significant increase of about 47% in ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity was achieved by incorporating optimum 2 wt% NH2KIT-6 into the MMMs.

Polysulfone-Gd2Zr2O7 mixed-matrix membranes with superior radiation resistant properties: Fabrication and application of a membrane device for radioactive effluent treatment

This is the first study undertaken towards development of mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) with enhanced radiation resistant attributes by reinforcement of nanostructured Gd2Zr2O7 (GZO) within polysulfone (Psf) host-matrix. The study describes synthesis and characterization of GZO in disordered, defect-fluorite structure, having average crystallite size of 31(±3) nm. Membranes prepared with different loading of GZO (up to 2 w/w% of Psf) are exposed to γ-radiation up to a dose of 1000 kGy in aqueous environment. The effect of radiation on the structural, mechanical, and thermo-oxidative properties of MMMs has been compared with that of radiation-sensitive Psf membrane. The ultrafiltration performance of the (un)irradiated Psf and MMMs reveal that an optimum reinforcement of GZO at 1 (w/wPsf)% offers ~10 times radiation resistant MMM, compared to that of Psf membrane. The MMM with 1 (w/wPsf)% GZO was rolled into 2512 spiral configuration and a highly-compact device was developed for treatment of radioactive effluent. Based on the flux decline behaviour over 18 months duration, the fouling behaviour of the MMM module was modelled. The life-span of the MMM was predicted based on the absorbed radiation dose, GZO leaching study, and fouling behaviour. It is proposed that GZO mitigates a fraction of the impinged γ-energy in swapping of the Gd3+ and Zr4+ sites, which protects the polymeric host-matrix in-situ from radiation induced degradation. The abundance of Gd3+ and Zr4+ associated with polar O2− over the impregnated GZO further stabilizes MMMs through scavenging of the oxidizing and reducing radiolysed products of water. Thus, we report a smart approach to develop novel MMM with greater life-expectancy against high-energy radiation and further fabricate a membrane-based device for management of liquid radioactive waste.

Enhanced selectivity of O2/N2 gases in co-casted mixed matrix membranes filled with BaFe12O19 nanoparticles

While the development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) has revolutionized gas separation applications, O2 and N2 gases are hardly separated from each other due to the small difference between their kinetic diameters. Here, magnetic MMMs consisting of polyethersulfone (PES)/Pebax-1657-BaFe12O19 nanoparticles (NPs) are fabricated by using a co-casting method. The PES and Pebax polymers are used as the substrate and top layer, respectively. The Pebax selective layer (~4 µm in thickness) is filled with BaFe12O19 powder in the presence of an external magnetic field (H = 0.5 T), providing efficient dispersion and accumulation of the magnetic NPs in the polymer matrix with high chemical stability. Field-emission scanning electron microscopic images indicate the absence of gaps, collapse, and crush at the contact layers of the two polymers, resulting in a dense top layer. By fabricating magnetic double-layer MMMs with 18 and 24 wt% BaFe12O19 NPs, the respective ideal selectivity of O2/N2 gases in the presence of H = 0.5 T at 25 °C is found to be 4 and 4.01, indicating significant enhancement in the gas separation compared to the non-magnetic MMM with an ideal selectivity of 1.87 in the absence of H.

Development of mixed matrix membrane comprising titanium (IV) oxide dispersed with octaisobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane

In designing mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) to improve gas separation performance, inorganic fillers such as titanium (IV) oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are commonly added due to their excellent intrinsic properties and high affinity towards CO2. However, the addition of TiO2 nanoparticles causes the formation of agglomerates which deteriorate the gas separation properties of the membrane due to their high surface energy and Van der Waals forces. In this study, MMMs comprising octaisobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OPOSS) incorporated with TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully developed using phase inversion technique. MMMs were synthesized at different loadings of TiO2 and OPOSS. The effectiveness of OPOSS as a dispersant was determined by using SEM, EDS and single gas permeation analysis. The optimum amount of TiO2-OPOSS in the THF/DMAc casting solution was at 4wt% TiO2 and 2wt% of OPOSS, as the agglomeration of nanoparticles did not occur based on the morphology and gas separation performance. The membrane with the highest performance was achieved by 4/2-T/OPOSS, which is at 1.8 of CO2/CH4 gas selectivity. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the OPOSS did play an important role in enhancing the dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles in the polymer matrix as the TiO2 agglomerates were not seen upon addition of OPOSS.

Preliminary Fractional Factorial Design (FFD) study using incorporation of Graphene Oxide in PVC in mixed matrix membrane to enhance CO2/CH4 separation

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) comprising of where polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and graphene oxide (GO) were employed in the membrane fabrication in order to improve the membrane characteristics. In this study of gas separation using mixed matrix membrane, gases such as CO2 and CH4 were used. The objectives of this research were to synthesize and develop MMMs PVC/GO, and also to carry out screening to determine best factors condition for membrane to function at high selectivity. The development of MMMs PVC/GO was based on 5 factors. Based on the screening tests, the run which was made up of factors PVC 20%, GO 4%, 1 bar of pressure during gas permeation, NMP solvent, and immersion time of 300s, shows to have the highest selectivity at 26.09 which was above the upper bound lines in the Robeson’s Upper bound plot. Fractional Factorial Design (FFD) was applied to study the minimalization of influenced factors during MMMs preparation. Based on the FFD run, the R-squared (R2) was

POLYMER CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES FOR GAS SEPARATION: A REVIEW

Application of polymer clay nanocomposites for carbon dioxide (CO2) removal in gas separation by using mixed matrix membranes is promising due to the advancement of nanotechnology and polymer processing. In this regard, as clay is abundantly available, cheaper and has attractive physical and chemical properties, the incorporation of these silicate layers within the polymer matrix as filler is favourable. In principle, the exfoliated clay single layers create higher tortuosity effects and may improve the separation properties of the membrane. This review presents a synopsis of the polymer clay nanocomposites development and applications as well as their potential for the removal of CO2 from gas mixtures. Details of the recent works in the development of mixed matrix membranes embedded with clay for gas separation were also discussed. In addition, the problems and mechanism to evaluate the exfoliation properties were emphasized identifying the gaps and motivates for future research works utilizing clay nanoparticles as membrane filler

New Generation High Performance Composite Hollow Fiber Membranes for Low Cost Co2 Capture

Research and development of membrane materials could achieve high separation performance and provide an alternative technology for CO2 capture in natural gas sweetening, carbon capture from power plants and biogas applications. While syntheses of new materials are necessary, utilizing currently available commodity materials through incorporation of high performance novel materials for most efficient transport process could substantially improve the technology deployment process. This paper presents our recent development in this aspect through mixed matrix membranes using block copolymer material Pebax, incorporating metal organic frame nano-fillers such as ZIF-8 and UiO-66 and its derivatives for the development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and strategically formed thin layers of these MMMs in composite hollow fibers membrane. Not only did those membranes achieve much higher CO2 permeance of more than 350 GPU, while maintaining or improving selectivity, the nano composite hollow fibers also demonstrated much improved performance sustainability such as improved plasticization resistance. On the other hand, composite hollow fibers developed with Pebax gelled ionic liquid membranes demonstrated even better separation performance with mixed gas feed containing water vapor and trace Nox, with promising application for flue gas carbon capture.

Pebax/ionic liquid modified graphene oxide mixed matrix membranes for enhanced CO2 capture

The development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) is mostly challenged by the filler dispersion and the fabrication of defect-free membranes with an ultra-thin selective layer. Graphene oxide based MMMs are promising materials for gas separation application. The low filler content and preference of extended GO lamella to align perpendicular to a membrane surface, and hence the gas flow direction permits the development of thin film composite membrane (TFC). Here, facilitated transport MMMs were fabricated by incorporating ionic liquid functionalized graphene oxide (GO-IL) into poly(ether-block-amide) (Pebax 1657). The 1-(3-aminopropyl)-3-methylimidazolium bromide ionic liquid was reacted to graphene oxide sheets, enhancing the CO2 solubility and CO2/gas selectivity of the MMMs. Moreover, hydrogen bonding interactions between the ionic liquid and amide moieties in Pebax provide a homogeneous dispersion of GO-IL. The pure (H2, CO2, O2, N2, CH4) and mixed (CO2/H2, CO2/N2) gas permeability of the membranes were performed at 25 °C and 4 bar. The gas permeability measurements indicate an improvement of over 90% in CO2/N2 selectivity and 50% in CO2 permeability for the GO-IL MMMs compared to the pure Pebax membrane. The resulting TFC membranes showed high CO2 permeance up to 900 GPU (10−6 cm3 (STP) cm−2 s−1 cm Hg−1) and the CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 selectivities of about 45 and 5.8, respectively. Our finding underlines the importance of GO-IL nanosheet to design high selective thin film membranes, providing a direction to fulfil the concept of mixed matrix membranes for practical applications.

Mixed Matrix Membranes for Natural Gas Upgrading: Current Status and Opportunities

In the past few decades, natural gas has attracted worldwide attention as one of the most desired energy sources owing to its more efficient and cleaner combustion process compared to that of coal and crude oil. Due to the presence of impurities, raw natural gas needs to be upgraded to meet the pipeline specifications. Membrane-based separation is a promising alternative to conventional processes such as cryogenic distillation and pressure swing adsorption. Among the existing membranes for natural gas upgrading, polymeric membranes and inorganic membranes have been extensively explored, but each type has its own pros and cons. The development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) by incorporating organic/inorganic fillers into the polymer matrix provides a good strategy to combine the merits of each material and fabricate novel membranes with superior gas separation performance. In this review, we first discuss the recent advances in MMMs showing potentials in natural gas upgrading. Special attention is paid to a detailed evaluation on the polymer and filler choices for acidic gas removal. After that, we analyze factors that influence the membrane separation performance and summarize effective strategies reported in the open literature for the fabrication of high-performance MMMs. Finally, a perspective on future research directions in this field is presented.

Mixed-matrix hollow fiber composite membranes comprising of PEBA and MOF for pervaporation separation of ethanol/water mixtures

Pervaporation membrane technology plays an important role in production of renewable bio-fuels. To improve the separation performance of polymeric membranes, an effective approach is development of mixed-matrix membranes containing high-performing fillers such as metal–organic frameworks. Towards practical application, hollow fiber could be an ideal substrate for mixed-matrix composite membrane, while current fabrications of this kind of composite membrane are relative complicated and challenging. In this work, a novel ceramic hollow fiber supported mixed-matrix composite membrane made of RHO-[Zn(eim)2] (MAF-6, Heim = 2-ethylimidazole) nanoparticles and poly (ether-block-amide) (PEBA) was fabricated via a facile dip-coating approach. SEM, XRD, TGA, contact angle and swelling measurements, nano-scratch technique were employed to study the morphology, crystal structure, thermal stability, surface property and interfacial adhesion of the resulting MAF-6/PEBA mixed-matrix hollow fiber composite membranes, respectively. These membranes were applied for recovering ethanol from aqueous solution via pervaporation. The effects of MAF-6 loading, as well as operating conditions (e.g., temperature, feed concentration and long-term stability) on the PV performance were systematically investigated. The PV performance of PEBA membrane, both flux and separation factor, were remarkably enhanced by uniformly incorporating MAF-6 nanoparticles. Total flux of 4446 g/m2 h and separation factor of 5.6 (feed: 5 wt% ethanol/water, 60 °C) was achieved for the optimized MAF-6/PEBA mixed-matrix hollow fiber composite membrane, which shows great advantages over the reported PEBA-based membranes for ethanol/water separation.