A new solution-based molecular layer deposition (MLD) method was studied. Alternating deposition of tetra-functional, tetrahedral molecules gave nanometer thick films of three-dimensionally cross-linked organic molecular networks. Varying the number of deposition cycles enabled to control the film thickness precisely on the molecular level. MLD was conducted on a nanoporous alumina support to fabricate molecular nets as an ultrathin skin layer of thin film composite (TFC) membrane. The morphology of the films was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The flux and rejection of the TFC membrane was investigated by filtration of the aqueous solutions containing organic solutes. Ultimately, a molecular sieving membrane was demonstrated using the molecular nets. This work was supported by a Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) grant [2010-0026421] funded by the Korean government (MEST) and the Program for Integrated Molecular Systems (PIMS) at GIST.

Molecular sieving by ultrathin membranes of organic molecular nets

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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