Bhopal, 13th April 2023: Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal researchers led by Dr. Abhijit Patra have made an important advancement in the field of porous membranes for molecular separation. The researchers have developed a novel method to produce free-standing crystalline nanoporous organic films that can separate toxic organic micropollutants from water.
The details of the study have been published in the prestigious journal, Angewandte Chemie, in a paper co-authored by Dr. Abhijit Patra, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, IISER Bhopal, and his research scholars Mr. Arkaprabha Giri, Mr. G. Shreeraj, and Mr. Tapas Kumar Dutta.
Membrane separation is a widely used technique in industry for separating and purifying various substances. The membranes used for this process are usually made of porous materials, with pore size being an important factor in determining their filtration functionality. Scientists have been researching various types of porous materials for many years. Recently, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising porous materials for membrane-based separation.
COFs are two-dimensional or three-dimensional crystalline porous organic polymers that have unique advantages over other porous materials because their structures and functions can be precisely designed. These materials are lightweight, highly thermally stable, and permanently porous, making them an excellent choice for membrane separation applications.
Methods for the synthesis of COFs are being explored all over the world. The researchers at IISER Bhopal have demonstrated the transformation of an organic imine cage molecule into a free-standing COF film. The films were nanoporous, i.e., the pores in the films were a hundred thousand times smaller than the width of a single human hair.
The films were tested for selective separation of toxic organic micropollutants through a nanofiltration technique and shown to be effective.
Explaining the technical details of their work, Dr. Abhijit Patra, IISER Bhopal, said, “Our findings open up a new route for structural interconversion between two crystalline entities with diverse dimensionality, employing dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC) at the confined interface under ambient conditions.”
Dynamic covalent chemistry is a method that creates reversible bonds under controlled conditions to make many different types of functional structures. This synthetic strategy can be used for various important applications, like making COFs.
In effect, the research study has created a link between small, cage-like organic structures and larger polymeric frameworks that have pores, which could lead to the development of better membranes for separating molecules or ions. The results of this study hold promise for the development of more efficient and selective separation technologies for a variety of industrial and environmental applications. The researchers at IISER Bhopal are confident that this breakthrough will pave the way for the development of advanced COF-based membranes with higher selectivity and efficiency.
COFs manufactured using the method developed by the IISER Bhopal team can help in fabricating porous membranes at room temperature under ambient conditions for efficient molecular separation from water. Covalent organic frameworks have high application potentials ranging from energy storage and catalysis to molecular separation, making them promising materials for various industries beyond water purification.
The researchers are hopeful that their research will inspire further exploration in the field of dynamic covalent chemistry and COFs to address the pressing challenges of sustainable development.
ABOUT IISER BHOPAL
Established by the Ministry of Education (then Ministry of Human Resource & Development), Government of India, in 2008, IISER Bhopal is the youngest of the first five IISERs. In a decade, the Institute has received several distinctions, duly carving out its own position in the national and international arena.
With a vision to provide high-quality education to students and contribute to society through its research, IISER Bhopal is the first IISER to have been declared by the Ministry of Education for project completion.
IISER Bhopal is continuously consolidating its position in the National and International rankings and has secured 61st place in The National Institutional Ranking Framework, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Along with this, IISER Bhopal has gained rank 281-290 in the overall category of the QS Asia Ranking 2023. The Institute has also been ranked 57th (National Rank, out of 70 in the 1500 Institutes) in the Times Higher Education 2023 World Ranking.
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