Student: Kunj Parmar
Committee: Dr. Bin Mu & Dr. Kailong Jin
Abstract:
The electrospinning process is considered to produce fibers in the order of a few nanometers and are able to provide superior mechanical properties and functionalization flexibility over pure MOFs. Four types of polymer blends with suspended zeolite 5A or ZIF8 crystals were electrospun to produce nanofibers. To optimize the nanoparticle loading and surface area of the fibers, the concentration of the electrospinning suspension was varied while maintaining equal masses of insoluble polymer, soluble polymer, and filler. Water wash and methanol wash were performed to remove soluble polymer to achieve higher fiber porosity. The synthesized ZIF8 MOFs and fibers were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and BET analysis. After soluble polymer removed, it was found that the ZIF8 and 5A nanoparticles remain in the porous fibers and result in an altered morphology and increased gas uptake. The synthesized ZIF8 and 5A fibers have various applications in the fields of adsorption, separation, catalysis, sensing, and filtration.
Zoom Room: https://asu.zoom.us/j/9979613881
Presentation Time: 12:00-1:00 PM (Arizona Time)
