Preparation of Nanoporous Silicate Layers by Swelling of AMH-3 and Its Application in the Nanocomposite Membranes for Hydrogen Separation

AMH-3 is a nanoporous layered material with unique three-dimensional porosity within the layer built of eight-membered rings. The swollen derivative of AMH-3 was prepared by a novel procedure that includes the sequential intercalation of organic surfactant following proton exchange. The increase of basal spacing, corresponding to the bilayer configuration of surfactant, allows the swollen AMH-3 to be incorporated and well-dispersed in polymer matrix. Nano-scale particles of exfoliated layers were used as a selective phase in nanocomposite membranes for gas separation. The hydrogen/carbon dioxide ideal selectivity of the nanocomposite membranes was improved by a factor of two compared to that of the pure polymer. Considering the morphology and the alignment of nanoparticles used in this study, as revealed by TEM and SAXS, the performance of these membranes has the potential to be improved further, showing its promise as a means to purify hydrogen from other gases like carbon dioxide.