One-step fabrication of ZIF-8/polymer composite spheres by a phase inversion method for gas adsorption

This paper reports a phase inversion method for the preparation of macroporous polysulfone (PS) composite spheres through a single orifice spinneret. Surfactant F127 was pre-added in the polymer solution as a surface pore-forming agent, and different amount of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) particles were incorporated to form the ZIF-8/polysulfone (ZIF-8/PS)-composite spheres. ZIF-8 and polymer acted as the adsorbent and binder in the final composite spheres, respectively. The fabrication conditions, such as the types of the surfactant, the amount of the surfactant, and ZIF-8 added in the polymer solution, were investigated. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide sorption analysis indicated the ZIF-8/PS composite spheres had similar properties as the pure ZIF-8 particles, and the active sites of ZIF-8 in the polymer composites were well exposed. The composite spheres exhibited advantages of easy handling and recycling over ZIF-8 particles, and this phase inversion method can be extended to prepare other polymer composite spheres.