Qilei Song

Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) based polymer nanocomposite membranes for gas separation

As synthesised ZIF-8 nanoparticles (size ∼ 60 nm and specific surface area ∼ 1300–1600 m2 g−1) were directly incorporated into a model polymer matrix (Matrimid® 5218) by solution mixing. This produces flexible transparent membranes with excellent dispersion of nanoparticles (up to loadings of 30 wt%) with good adhesion within the polymer matrix, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and gas sorption studies. Pure gas (H2, CO2, O2, N2 and CH4) permeation tests showed enhanced permeability of the mixed matrix membrane with negligible losses in selectivity. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) indicated that an increase in the free volume of the polymer with ZIF-8 loading together with the free diffusion of gas through the cages of ZIF-8 contributed to an increase in gas permeability of the composite membrane. The gas transport properties of the composite membranes were well predicted by a Maxwell model whilst the processing strategy reported can be extended to fabricate other polymer nanocomposite membranes intended for a wide range of emerging energy applications.

Controlled thermal oxidative crosslinking of polymers of intrinsic microporosity towards tunable molecular sieve membranes

Organic open frameworks with well-defined micropore (pore dimensions below 2 nm) structure are attractive next-generation materials for gas sorption, storage, catalysis and molecular level separations. Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) represent a paradigm shift in conceptualizing molecular sieves from conventional ordered frameworks to disordered frameworks with heterogeneous distributions of microporosity. PIMs contain interconnected regions of micropores with high gas permeability but with a level of heterogeneity that compromises their molecular selectivity. Here we report controllable thermal oxidative crosslinking of PIMs by heat treatment in the presence of trace amounts of oxygen. The resulting covalently crosslinked networks are thermally and chemically stable, mechanically flexible and have remarkable selectivity at permeability that is three orders of magnitude higher than commercial polymeric membranes. This study demonstrates that controlled thermochemical reactions can delicately tune the topological structure of channels and pores within microporous polymers and their molecular sieving properties.

Size-dependent Photon Emission from Organometal Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals Embedded in an Organic Matrix

In recent years, organometal halide perovskite materials have attracted significant research interest in the field of optoelectronics. Here, we introduce a simple and low-temperature route for the formation of self-assembled perovskite nanocrystals in a solid organic matrix. We demonstrate that the size and photoluminescence peak of the perovskite nanocrystals can be tuned by varying the concentration of perovskite in the matrix material. The physical origin of the blue shift of the perovskite nanocrystals’ emission compared to its bulk phase is also discussed.

A high performance oxygen storage material for chemical looping processes with CO2 capture

Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a novel combustion technology that involves cyclic reduction and oxidation of oxygen storage materials to provide oxygen for the combustion of fuels to CO2 and H2O, whilst giving a pure stream of CO2 suitable for sequestration or utilisation. Here, we report a method for preparing of oxygen storage materials from layered double hydroxides (LDHs) precursors and demonstrate their applications in the CLC process. The LDHs precursor enables homogeneous mixing of elements at the molecular level, giving a high degree of dispersion and high-loading of active metal oxide in the support after calcination. Using a Cu–Al LDH precursor as a prototype, we demonstrate that rational design of oxygen storage materials by material chemistry significantly improved the reactivity and stability in the high temperature redox cycles. We discovered that the presence of sodium-containing species were effective in inhibiting the formation of copper aluminates (CuAl2O4 or CuAlO2) and stabilising the copper phase in an amorphous support over multiple redox cycles. A representative nanostructured Cu-based oxygen storage material derived from the LDH precursor showed stable gaseous O2 release capacity (∼5 wt%), stable oxygen storage capacity (∼12 wt%), and stable reaction rates during reversible phase changes between CuO–Cu2O–Cu at high temperatures (800–1000 °C). We anticipate that the strategy can be extended to manufacture a variety of metal oxide composites for applications in novel high temperature looping cycles for clean energy production and CO2 capture.

Porous Organic Cage Thin Films and Molecular-Sieving Membranes

Porous organic cage molecules are fabricated into thin films and molecular-sieving membranes. Cage molecules are solution cast on various substrates to form amorphous thin films, with the structures tuned by tailoring the cage chemistry and processing conditions. For the first time, uniform and pinhole-free microporous cage thin films are formed and demonstrated as molecular-sieving membranes for selective gas separation.

Photo-oxidative enhancement of polymeric molecular sieve membranes

High-performance membranes are attractive for molecular-level separations in industrial-scale chemical, energy and environmental processes. The next-generation membranes for these processes are based on molecular sieving materials to simultaneously achieve high throughput and selectivity. Membranes made from polymeric molecular sieves such as polymers of intrinsic microporosity (pore size<2 nm) are especially interesting in being solution processable and highly permeable but currently have modest selectivity. Here we report photo-oxidative surface modification of membranes made of a polymer of intrinsic microporosity. The ultraviolet light field, localized to a near-surface domain, induces reactive ozone that collapses the microporous polymer framework. The rapid, near-surface densification results in asymmetric membranes with a superior selectivity in gas separation while maintaining an apparent permeability that is two orders of magnitude greater than commercially available polymeric membranes. The oxidative chain scission induced by ultraviolet irradiation also indicates the potential application of the polymer in photolithography technology.

Nanofiller-tuned microporous polymer molecular sieves for energy and environmental processes

Microporous polymers with molecular sieving properties are promising for a wide range of applications in gas storage, molecular separations, catalysis, and energy storage. In this study, we report highly permeable and selective molecular sieves fabricated from crosslinked polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) incorporated with highly dispersed nanoscale fillers, including nonporous inorganic nanoparticles and microporous metal–organic framework (MOF) nanocrystals. We demonstrate that the combination of covalent crosslinking of microporous polymers via controlled thermal oxidation and tunable incorporation of nanofillers results in high-performance membranes with substantially enhanced permeability and molecular sieving selectivity, as demonstrated in separation of gas molecules, for example, air separation (O2/N2), CO2 separation from natural gas (CH4) or flue gas (CO2/N2), and H2 separation from N2 and CH4. After ageing over two years, these nanofiller-tuned molecular sieves became more selective and less permeable but maintained permeability levels that are still two orders of magnitude higher than conventional gas separation membranes.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of Chemical Looping Combustion Process with Calcium Sulphate Oxygen Carrier

To concentrate CO2 in combustion processes by efficient and energy-saving ways is a first and very important step for its sequestration. Chemical looping combustion (CLC) could easily achieve this goal. A chemical-looping combustion system consists of a fuel reactor and an air reactor. Two reactors in the form of interconnected fluidized beds are used in the process: (1) a fuel reactor where the oxygen carrier is reduced by reaction with the fuel, and (2) an air reactor where the reduced oxygen carrier from the fuel reactor is oxidized with air. The outlet gas from the fuel reactor consists of CO2 and H2O, while the outlet gas stream from the air reactor contains only N2 and some unused O2. The water in combustion products can be easily removed by condensation and pure carbon dioxide is obtained without any loss of energy for separation.Until now, there is little literature about mathematical modeling of chemical-looping combustion using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. In this work, the reaction kinetic model of the fuel reactor (CaSO4+ H2) is developed by means of the commercial code FLUENT and the effects of partial pressure of H2 (concentration of H2) on chemical looping combustion performance are also studied. The results show that the concentration of H2 could enhance the CLC performance.

Thin, Flexible Supercapacitors Made from Carbon Nanofiber Electrodes Decorated at Room Temperature with Manganese Oxide Nanosheets

We report the fabrication and electrochemical performance of a flexible thin film supercapacitor with a novel nanostructured composite electrode. The electrode was prepared by in situ coprecipitation of two-dimensional (2D) MnO2 nanosheets at room temperature in the presence of carbon nanofibers (CNFs). The highest specific capacitance of 142 F/g was achieved for CNFs-MnO2 electrodes in sandwiched assembly with PVA-H4SiW12O40nH2O polyelectrolyte separator.

Oriented 2D Porous Organic Cage Crystals

Abstract The formation of two‐dimensional (2D) oriented porous organic cage crystals (consisting of imine‐based tetrahedral molecules) on various substrates (such as silicon wafers and glass) by solution‐processing is reported. Insight into the crystallinity, preferred orientation, and cage crystal growth was obtained by experimental and computational techniques. For the first time, structural defects in porous molecular materials were observed directly and the defect concentration could be correlated with crystal growth rate. These oriented crystals suggest potential for future applications, such as solution‐processable molecular crystalline 2D membranes for molecular separations.