Continuous Covalent Organic Framework Membranes with Ordered Nanochannels as Tunable Transport Layers for Fast Butanol/Water Separation

Polymeric membranes with high permselective performance are desirable for energy-saving bioalcohol separations. However, it remains challenging to design membrane microstructures with low-resistance channels and a thin thickness for fast alcohol transport. Herein, we demonstrate highly crystalline covalent organic framework (COF) membranes with ordered nanochannels as tunable transport layers for efficient butanol/water separation. The thickness was well-regulated by altering the concentration and molar ratio of two aldehyde monomers with different reactivity. The surface-integrated poly(dimethylsiloxane) produced defect-free and hydrophobic COF membranes. The membrane with continuous transport channels exhibited an exceptional flux of up to 18.8 kg m^-2 h^-1 and a pervaporation separation index of 217.7 kg m^-2 h^-1 for separating 5 wt % <i>n</i>-butanol/water. The separation efficiency exceeded that of analogous membranes. The calculated mass-transfer coefficient of butanol followed an inverse relationship with the COF membrane thickness. Consequently, this work reveals the great potential of crystalline polymeric membranes with high-density nanopores for biofuel recovery.