Preparation of Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework Membranes and Their Applications in Separation

Membrane separation is very promising in solving energy and environmental challenges of separation process, and it has developed rapidly in recent decades. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new type of microporous material with adjustable pores with uniform size, thus MOF membranes show promising potential for separation applications. With the rapid development of two-dimensional (2D) materials, 2D MOF membranes constructed with 2D MOF nanosheets, have attracted increasing attentions, where the pores of MOF could achieve molecular sieving, while both the nanochannels between the nanosheets and the pores of MOF nanosheets would provide mass transfer pathway for fast permeation. Therefore, 2D MOF membranes are expected to show both high permeability and selectivity, which might become a kind of high-performance membrane for industrial separations.