Chemically Cross-Linked MOF Membrane Generated from Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid-Decorated UiO-66 Type NMOF and Its Application toward CO2 Separation and Conversion

Carbon dioxide capture and transformation are of great importance to make cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Nanometal–organic frameworks (NMOFs) could serve as ideal fillers for polymer membranes owing to their structural diversity and regulable microenvironment of the nanocage. Herein, a bifunctional, robust, and chemically cross-linked NMOF-based membrane was successfully constructed by the postsynthetic polymerization of imidazolium-based ionic liquid (IL)-decorated UiO-66 type nanoparticles (NPs) and the isocyanate-terminated polyurethane oligomer under mild conditions. The IL-modified MOF–polymer membranes exhibit a highly selective adsorption for CO2 over N2 and CH4. In addition, the obtained membrane can also be a highly active heterogeneous catalyst for CO2 transformation by cycloaddition with epoxide under an ambient pressure.