Mixed-matrix gas separation membranes for sustainable future: A mini review

Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs), merging the advantages of polymers and inorganic fillers, has become a preferable choice as future gas separation membrane. Owing to hierarchical structures, MMMs are suitable for high-performance gas separation capability. Research on extended porous organic/inorganic materials also known as fillers of intrinsic nanopores (FINS) such as porous organic frameworks (POFs), Zeolites, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), porous organic cages (POCs) and analogous metal-organic polyhedral (MOPs) have bloomed over the last two decades. MOFs and POFs have been proposed as good adsorbent and promising filler components for industrial gas separations, due to their prominent porosity and structural flexibility and also for MMMs with good performance in terms of permeance and selectivity. They are compatible for providing additional molecular transport channels as well as having good size-sieving property. This review briefly outlines the innovative trends in MMMs, highlighted with different porous fillers as well as suitable polymers followed by their synthesis and their suitable application in gas separations. Finally, a state of art and challenges in the direction of actual application of MMMs in different industries are outlined in terms of inter relation and regarding the future direction and potential growth opportunities of MMMs an elaborate discussion is provided.