Liquid-Phase Applications of Metal–Organic Framework Mixed-Matrix Membranes Prepared from Poly(ethylene-<i>co</i>-vinyl acetate)

Abstract

Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) composed of a metal–organic framework (MOF, UiO-66) and a poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) copolymer were synthesized with a range of MOF loadings. The MOF pores in these MMMs are accessible by gas sorption measurements and susceptible to postsynthetic modification and exchange. In addition, the MMMs were tested for their utility in three potential aqueous applications: dye separation, sorption and removal of perfluoroalkanes, and catalytic breakdown of a chemical warfare agent simulant. These studies also show that choice of polymer binder for the MMM affects the composite performance, despite it being a minority component of these MOF-dominant MMM composites.