Molecularly porous cross-linked membranes

Key Question Being Explored in This Insight:

Molecularly porous cross-linked membranes are advanced materials designed with highly defined pore structures at the molecular level, allowing for selective separation and filtration processes.

View the page of: Suzana Nunes

Institution: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

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Chemistry Natural Sciences Sciences

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Molecularly porous cross-linked membranes are advanced materials designed with highly defined pore structures at the molecular level, allowing for selective separation and filtration processes.

Image courtesy of interviewee. October 1, 2024

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This video discusses the importance and applications of advanced membrane technology for molecular separation, particularly in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. It emphasizes that fine filters with selective membranes can significantly reduce the number of steps in processes like drug purification, increasing efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

Membrane technology not only facilitates effective separation but also helps in reducing CO2 emissions by replacing energy-intensive processes, such as thermal separation, which consumes a substantial portion of global industrial energy. This video highlights the relevance of nanofiltration and desalination, with membranes functioning at a molecular level to distinguish between very similar-sized molecules.

Different configurations of membranes, including multi-layered structures and interfacial polymerization techniques, are introduced, outlining how their design dictates selectivity and transport capabilities. This video includes using macrocycles in membrane production, which allows for precise control over pore sizes and enhances filtration processes.

Furthermore, the text identifies the industry's shift towards sustainability, stressing the need for membranes that utilize less toxic solvents and are based on renewable materials. It underscores that industry stakeholders are increasingly pressured to transition to more sustainable practices, which aligns with advancements in membrane research. Overall, the text presents membrane technology as a crucial element in improving industrial efficiency and environmental sustainability through effective separation methods.

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Here are five key points from the video:

1. **Membrane Technology for Molecular Separation**: The video discusses the use of fine filters, specifically selective membranes, for molecular separation in industries such as pharmaceuticals. These membranes facilitate the purification of drugs and can reduce the number of steps required in the purification process, making it more efficient both economically and in terms of energy consumption.

2. **Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact**: Approximately 30% of global energy usage is attributed to industrial processes, with half of that energy going towards separation processes. By employing effective membrane separation techniques, industries can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

3. **Interfacial Polymerization**: The technique of interfacial polymerization is highlighted as a method to create very thin and selective membrane layers. This process involves reactions at the interface between oil and water, allowing for precise control over membrane properties such as selectivity and pore size.

4. **Applications Beyond Desalination**: While membrane technology is traditionally used for desalination, the video also points out its applications in nanofiltration and catalyst separation. This versatility allows for the recovery and reuse of expensive catalysts and solvents in various chemical processes.

5. **Sustainability and Regulatory Compliance**: The video emphasizes the increasing need for industries to adopt sustainable practices by using less toxic, natural solvents and moving away from fossil-based materials. The research also focuses on developing membranes that maintain high performance while complying with stricter environmental regulations.

These points collectively highlight the significance of membrane technology in industrial applications, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

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Here are some key quotes extracted from the video, summarizing the main concepts discussed:

1. **On the significance of selective membranes:**
- "They are very fine filters... very selective membranes for molecular separation."

2. **On the pharmaceutical industry:**
- "If you use membranes, you can probably, uh, really reduce a lot of the number of steps... You are economically more effective."

3. **On energy consumption in industry:**
- "About 30% of the energy in the world is used for the industry... half of it is used for separation processes."

4. **On the impact of improved separation processes:**
- "If you can substitute that for a more effective process and membrane separation, you can hopefully reduce the energy and less CO2."

5. **On the applications of membranes:**
- "Membranes have been very used for desalination of water... also for nanofiltration, that means separating organic molecules."

6. **On the importance of membrane design:**
- "You want something that is very thin... but you need also, um, a very, uh, robust film."

7. **On interfacial polymerization:**
- "They come together only at the interface... form a film that is super thin."

8. **On the role of sustainability in chemical research:**
- "You need to have it very sustainable... regulations in this field are getting more and more strict every day."

9. **On the industry's expectations:**
- "They will have to work in this way... to change the solvents they use."

10. **On the future of separation technology:**
- "We don’t wait for carbon capture at the end... it's a more effective approach to reduce carbon emission energy consumption."

These quotes encapsulate the central themes of separation technology, sustainability, and efficiency improvements in industrial processes.

X-TIMESTAMP-MAP:LOCAL=00:00:00.000,MPEGTS=900000

00:00.115 --> 00:02.245
They are, very fine filters.

00:02.245 --> 00:03.525
They have, membranes

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or there are materials that have been non engineered into

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very selective, membranes for molecular separation.

00:11.145 --> 00:14.005
For instance, imagines a a pharmaceutical industry,

00:14.425 --> 00:18.965
so you need to purify your, medicine or your drugs.

00:19.185 --> 00:20.925
So they have to be very refine.

00:20.925 --> 00:22.445
There's several steps for that.

00:22.905 --> 00:26.045
If you use membranes, you can probably,

00:26.045 --> 00:28.485
really reduce a lot of the number of steps.

00:28.945 --> 00:30.445
So you are more effective,

00:30.665 --> 00:33.125
you are economically more effective.

00:33.145 --> 00:37.125
And, also less, energy involved on that.

00:37.235 --> 00:40.725
Many of the chemical industries, so they use catalyst, they,

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you can use this main branding principle also for,

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for retaining the catalyst, reusing the catalyst.

00:46.715 --> 00:48.445
This is one application.

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But more than that, there are several steps of,

00:51.925 --> 00:54.685
fractionation that you use in the chemical industry.

00:55.185 --> 01:00.005
Um, and these are, those were, cost a lot of energy.

01:00.425 --> 01:04.725
So all the, it is about 30%

01:04.745 --> 01:08.485
of the energy in the world is used for the industry.

01:08.985 --> 01:12.765
And from this energy, half of it is used

01:12.765 --> 01:14.085
for separation process

01:14.555 --> 01:18.405
because many of them are used for thermo separation.

01:18.905 --> 01:21.965
So if you can substitute that for more effective process

01:22.105 --> 01:25.485
and, and membrane separation is, is one of them,

01:25.625 --> 01:29.565
you can, hopefully reduce the, that energy and less CO2.

01:29.585 --> 01:30.885
And so it's,

01:31.805 --> 01:35.365
I would say more effective than just acting at

01:35.365 --> 01:36.445
the end of the story.

01:36.625 --> 01:40.365
And, and capturing the CO2, you are passing, you have your

01:40.885 --> 01:45.325
solution that will be filtered through this fine po.

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So there's molecular po, less than one nanometer.

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So, is, is really very fine

01:53.645 --> 01:57.485
because when you think in, in molecules like, those

01:57.485 --> 02:00.805
that are used for, for different, for medicine

02:01.105 --> 02:03.805
or ion separation, so you, you know,

02:04.685 --> 02:08.205
membranes have very used for very long for, desalination

02:08.205 --> 02:11.485
of water in places, more and more places.

02:11.625 --> 02:13.405
So in the Middle East is, is key,

02:13.425 --> 02:15.885
but in, in other countries, in, in Europe as well.

02:16.425 --> 02:19.565
Um, so, but then you are talking about separation in,

02:19.585 --> 02:21.325
in a really nano level.

02:22.305 --> 02:25.605
And if you want to distinguish, then molecules

02:25.605 --> 02:30.165
with very similar size, you need a very exact pores.

02:30.665 --> 02:34.205
Uh, and, and that's where we, we invest all of our,

02:34.265 --> 02:36.165
our research when we have a membrane.

02:36.185 --> 02:37.765
So you, you have a different layers

02:37.875 --> 02:40.605
because you need something that's very selective.

02:41.145 --> 02:44.285
Uh, you want something that is, very thin

02:44.285 --> 02:47.845
because it, you don't want, resistance

02:48.005 --> 02:52.885
to the transport, but you need also, a very,

02:53.145 --> 02:54.405
robust film.

02:54.905 --> 02:58.245
So, so that's different layers. Some, higher

02:58.645 --> 03:02.085
Porosity, but the real selective layer needs

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to be thin and selective.

03:03.825 --> 03:07.605
So interfa, polymerization, you use two like oil

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and water separated.

03:09.265 --> 03:12.485
So you have, one, reactant in the oil,

03:12.785 --> 03:14.165
one reactant in the water.

03:14.705 --> 03:17.125
So they come together only at the interface

03:17.125 --> 03:18.765
because they don't mix with each other.

03:19.305 --> 03:21.045
So, and they come and react.

03:21.115 --> 03:23.405
They come and very fast form a film.

03:23.875 --> 03:25.525
This film is super thin,

03:26.185 --> 03:28.605
and, depending on the monomers that you use,

03:29.065 --> 03:30.445
you control the selectivity.

03:31.025 --> 03:34.565
So you form this film on a portal support,

03:34.795 --> 03:36.605
roughly borrow support.

03:37.105 --> 03:39.565
So that's, what is called interfacial.

03:39.565 --> 03:42.525
Polymerization, because it reacts only in the interface.

03:43.035 --> 03:46.085
It's used in different forms for the main, it's used also

03:46.085 --> 03:49.645
for polymerization, for even polystyrene production with,

03:49.665 --> 03:52.045
it's, interface polymerization.

03:52.045 --> 03:54.925
But it is specific of, of our, case

03:55.075 --> 03:59.845
with membranes is, use the, the largest application is,

03:59.945 --> 04:01.205
as I mentioned, desalination,

04:01.625 --> 04:05.845
but also for nanofiltration, that means, separating,

04:06.145 --> 04:08.565
molecules, organic molecules.

04:08.565 --> 04:10.565
So, or you mentioned catalyst in the beginning.

04:10.665 --> 04:14.005
So that's one application that you separate,

04:14.845 --> 04:15.925
catalyst in a process.

04:16.225 --> 04:18.685
You can, reuse that catalyst,

04:18.735 --> 04:22.525
which are expensive products you want to, to recover that.

04:22.625 --> 04:24.925
So that's one kind of application.

04:25.625 --> 04:28.565
Let me see if I have, any, any, yeah, it is,

04:29.105 --> 04:32.885
the main, main application of, of that, but could be

04:32.905 --> 04:34.965
or ion separation, as I mentioned.

04:35.105 --> 04:37.445
Uh, could be different kinds of molecules.

04:37.595 --> 04:39.645
Yeah, solvents, reuse.

04:40.465 --> 04:43.285
So purification of solvents, this selective layer

04:43.285 --> 04:46.005
of the membrane, usually, crosslinked that means,

04:46.385 --> 04:49.045
you have chains, polymer chains, large chains

04:49.045 --> 04:51.005
that are bound to each other.

04:51.145 --> 04:54.325
So they, so the crosslinking, we bring them together

04:54.865 --> 04:58.405
and this is, like a very standard, or not standard,

04:58.465 --> 05:02.005
but that's a way to prepare thin layers,

05:02.185 --> 05:04.605
for membranes or for other application as well.

05:04.985 --> 05:09.445
So how tight this crosslinking is, how tight this chain that

05:09.465 --> 05:11.965
to close to each other will give you

05:12.065 --> 05:14.605
how much free space you have for transport,

05:14.985 --> 05:16.885
but also how selective they are.

05:17.345 --> 05:19.845
So if you, a normal procedure

05:20.355 --> 05:23.885
will give you a broad distribution of what can pass

05:24.025 --> 05:25.645
and what can be retained.

05:26.145 --> 05:29.685
So, but the, when, when we publish, when we,

05:29.785 --> 05:33.245
our research on working on macro cycling, integration

05:33.245 --> 05:37.205
of macro, macro cycling in this process is, is imagine

05:37.205 --> 05:38.845
that you can form the pause

05:39.465 --> 05:41.885
before you form the, the thin layer.

05:42.235 --> 05:45.325
It's like you have a very small rings

05:45.585 --> 05:49.285
or pre-PA, like in the nanometer range.

05:49.865 --> 05:51.805
So, and then you have a lot of rings,

05:52.185 --> 05:55.365
so then you functionalize these rings to react

05:55.365 --> 05:56.765
with each other so that

05:56.765 --> 06:00.245
They will all be linked together like a Lego so that you,

06:00.625 --> 06:02.325
interlock them.

06:03.025 --> 06:06.445
So if you do that, so the, the size

06:06.445 --> 06:09.005
of the ring will control the,

06:09.185 --> 06:10.765
the transport and the selectivity.

06:11.425 --> 06:14.645
So that's, that's the main idea

06:14.645 --> 06:16.205
of using the macrocycles.

06:16.265 --> 06:18.165
In the interfa polymerization,

06:18.545 --> 06:21.845
the facial polymerization you use, usually for chemists,

06:21.845 --> 06:24.405
you use, amino groups that react with,

06:24.425 --> 06:25.805
acid chloride.

06:26.265 --> 06:29.045
So then if you have rings with this functionalization,

06:29.235 --> 06:30.645
they will react very fast

06:30.665 --> 06:34.885
and they'd form a film full of smoke pores, nanometer pos.

06:35.065 --> 06:36.805
You can imagine that you can design,

06:36.905 --> 06:39.485
you can really work in quite different structures.

06:39.585 --> 06:43.365
You can, control, of course the, the size

06:43.365 --> 06:46.325
of these rings, the kind of functionality,

06:46.425 --> 06:48.885
we have been working also introducing,

06:49.075 --> 06:52.205
like using instead of rings itself, we use gates

06:52.555 --> 06:55.525
that contain, a catalyst inside.

06:55.825 --> 06:59.205
So that means then you avoid the catalyst, you aggregate,

06:59.265 --> 07:00.925
you have a very fine distribution

07:00.925 --> 07:03.405
of catalyst trapped in this cage.

07:03.545 --> 07:06.685
That's one, like more blue sky research.

07:06.785 --> 07:10.085
But, but, you need also to have it

07:10.675 --> 07:14.525
very sustainable and, and you need to use, more

07:14.525 --> 07:17.525
and more solvents, that and,

07:17.705 --> 07:22.125
and mono that are natural or are not, toxic.

07:22.505 --> 07:26.965
So the, the regulations in this field are getting more

07:26.965 --> 07:28.365
and more strict every day.

07:28.825 --> 07:33.045
So that's a part of the work that we are, doing also in,

07:33.065 --> 07:35.605
in, in identifying monomers and,

07:35.985 --> 07:39.805
and solvents that can be, much less toxic, more,

07:40.265 --> 07:41.405
sustainable.

07:41.585 --> 07:45.805
Of course, you, you have to, the industry expect you

07:45.805 --> 07:50.085
to achieve the same performance, but then sustainable.

07:50.745 --> 07:55.205
But, at the long term, they don't have another choice.

07:55.315 --> 07:58.405
They will have to, to to work in this way.

07:58.505 --> 08:01.605
So that means it's not, only the research itself

08:01.665 --> 08:03.605
or research is, I think we have the looks

08:03.715 --> 08:07.365
that working in a university you can try, with a,

08:07.445 --> 08:09.645
a little bit more time, different approach.

08:10.065 --> 08:13.365
But the industry, fabricating membranes,

08:13.635 --> 08:15.925
they already are under pressure to,

08:16.265 --> 08:18.885
to change the solvents they use.

08:18.905 --> 08:22.205
And there's a highly, based,

08:22.525 --> 08:24.365
industry highly based on solvents,

08:24.705 --> 08:27.685
but also the kind of polymers that they use,

08:27.955 --> 08:32.125
that should be less, in the, less based on, on

08:32.745 --> 08:36.405
on fossil, based monomers and,

08:36.425 --> 08:39.445
and polymers, no, when you develop membranes is, is the,

08:39.465 --> 08:42.885
of course, the chemistry that you choose and,

08:42.885 --> 08:46.485
and the selectivity and the exact, design.

08:47.185 --> 08:50.005
But, you need always to think in something

08:50.005 --> 08:53.205
that will be translational, that you can use,

08:53.545 --> 08:54.845
in machines that you can

08:55.070 --> 08:56.085
Bring to the industry,

08:56.505 --> 08:59.245
and they will be able to take your idea and,

08:59.305 --> 09:00.845
and make a product after that.

09:01.275 --> 09:03.725
Some of the applications that we use in membrane is,

09:03.985 --> 09:05.645
is in a very large scale.

09:06.145 --> 09:10.125
So, you need to think in, in solutions that are,

09:10.725 --> 09:12.485
feasible in a very large scale.

09:12.945 --> 09:16.005
So that's one point that you always, keep in mind.

09:16.765 --> 09:20.405
I think there are many things that we can do in terms

09:20.405 --> 09:22.565
of separation is very important

09:22.565 --> 09:25.925
because we reduce energy use in the industry.

09:26.105 --> 09:27.205
We act in advance.

09:27.625 --> 09:30.525
We don't wait, for,

09:31.025 --> 09:32.645
carbon capture at the end.

09:33.065 --> 09:37.685
So it's, a lot we can do in more effective approach to,

09:38.105 --> 09:42.485
reduce carbon emission energy

09:42.485 --> 09:43.165
consumptions.

"Advancements in Membrane Technology for Efficient Molecular Separation in Industrial Applications"

00:00:00 - They are, very fine filters. They have, membranes or there are materials that have been non engineered into very selective, membranes for molecular separation. For instance, imagines a a pharmaceutical industry, so you need to purify your, medicine or your drugs. So they have to be very refine. There's several steps for that. If you use membranes, you can probably, really reduce a lot of the number of steps. So you are more effective, you are economically more effective. And, also less, energy involved on that. Many of the chemical industries, so they use catalyst, they,
00:00:43 - for retaining the catalyst, reusing the catalyst. This is one application. But more than that, there are several steps of, fractionation that you use in the chemical industry. and these are, those were, cost a lot of energy. So all the, it is about 30% of the energy in the world is used for the industry. And from this energy, half of it is used for separation process because many of them are used for thermo separation. So if you can substitute that for more effective process
00:01:25 - you can, hopefully reduce the, that energy and less CO2. And so it's, I would say more effective than just acting at the end of the story. And, and capturing the CO2, you are passing, you have your solution that will be filtered through this fine po. So there's molecular po, less than one nanometer. So, is, is really very fine because when you think in, in molecules like, those that are used for, for different, for medicine or ion separation, so you, you know,
00:02:08 - of water in places, more and more places. So in the Middle East is, is key, but in, in other countries, in, in Europe as well. so, but then you are talking about separation in, in a really nano level. And if you want to distinguish, then molecules with very similar size, you need a very exact pores. and, and that's where we, we invest all of our, our research when we have a membrane. So you, you have a different layers because you need something that's very selective. you want something that is, very thin because it, you don't want, resistance
00:02:53 - robust film. So, so that's different layers. Some, higher Porosity, but the real selective layer needs to be thin and selective. So interfa, polymerization, you use two like oil and water separated. So you have, one, reactant in the oil, one reactant in the water. So they come together only at the interface because they don't mix with each other. So, and they come and react. They come and very fast form a film. This film is super thin, and, depending on the monomers that you use,
00:03:31 - So you form this film on a portal support, roughly borrow support. So that's, what is called interfacial. Polymerization, because it reacts only in the interface. It's used in different forms for the main, it's used also for polymerization, for even polystyrene production with, it's, interface polymerization. But it is specific of, of our, case with membranes is, use the, the largest application is, as I mentioned, desalination, but also for nanofiltration, that means, separating, molecules, organic molecules. So, or you mentioned catalyst in the beginning.

"Advancements in Membrane Technology for Catalysis and Molecular Separation"

00:04:14 - catalyst in a process. You can, reuse that catalyst, which are expensive products you want to, to recover that. So that's one kind of application. Let me see if I have, any, any, yeah, it is, the main, main application of, of that, but could be or ion separation, as I mentioned. could be different kinds of molecules. Yeah, solvents, reuse. So purification of solvents, this selective layer of the membrane, usually, crosslinked that means, you have chains, polymer chains, large chains that are bound to each other.
00:04:54 - and this is, like a very standard, or not standard, but that's a way to prepare thin layers, for membranes or for other application as well. So how tight this crosslinking is, how tight this chain that to close to each other will give you how much free space you have for transport, but also how selective they are. So if you, a normal procedure will give you a broad distribution of what can pass and what can be retained. So, but the, when, when we publish, when we, our research on working on macro cycling, integration
00:05:37 - that you can form the pause before you form the, the thin layer. It's like you have a very small rings or pre-PA, like in the nanometer range. So, and then you have a lot of rings, so then you functionalize these rings to react with each other so that They will all be linked together like a Lego so that you, interlock them. So if you do that, so the, the size of the ring will control the, the transport and the selectivity. So that's, that's the main idea
00:06:16 - In the interfa polymerization, the facial polymerization you use, usually for chemists, you use, amino groups that react with, acid chloride. So then if you have rings with this functionalization, they will react very fast and they'd form a film full of smoke pores, nanometer pos. You can imagine that you can design, you can really work in quite different structures. You can, control, of course the, the size of these rings, the kind of functionality, we have been working also introducing, like using instead of rings itself, we use gates that contain, a catalyst inside.
00:06:59 - you have a very fine distribution of catalyst trapped in this cage. That's one, like more blue sky research. But, but, you need also to have it very sustainable and, and you need to use, more and more solvents, that and, and mono that are natural or are not, toxic. So the, the regulations in this field are getting more and more strict every day. So that's a part of the work that we are, doing also in, in, in identifying monomers and,
00:07:40 - sustainable. Of course, you, you have to, the industry expect you to achieve the same performance, but then sustainable. But, at the long term, they don't have another choice. They will have to, to to work in this way. So that means it's not, only the research itself or research is, I think we have the looks that working in a university you can try, with a, a little bit more time, different approach. But the industry, fabricating membranes, they already are under pressure to,

"Advancing Membrane Technology: Sustainable Solutions for Industrial Applications"

00:08:18 - And there's a highly, based, industry highly based on solvents, but also the kind of polymers that they use, that should be less, in the, less based on, on on fossil, based monomers and, and polymers, no, when you develop membranes is, is the, of course, the chemistry that you choose and, and the selectivity and the exact, design. But, you need always to think in something that will be translational, that you can use, in machines that you can Bring to the industry,
00:08:59 - and make a product after that. Some of the applications that we use in membrane is, is in a very large scale. So, you need to think in, in solutions that are, feasible in a very large scale. So that's one point that you always, keep in mind. I think there are many things that we can do in terms of separation is very important because we reduce energy use in the industry. We act in advance. We don't wait, for, carbon capture at the end. So it's, a lot we can do in more effective approach to,
00:09:42 - consumptions.

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Molecularly porous cross-linked membranes

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