Facilitated transport membranes (FTMs) are a forward-looking technology and have triggered revolutions in many energy-intensive gas separations. However, the precise manipulation of carrier distribution within FTMs, as well as the visualization of membrane structure at the nanoscale, has never been reported. Herein, FTMs are constructed with tunable carrier distribution by a facile ion/molecule self-assembly of protic ionic liquid crystal salts (PILSs), polyol, and ethylene-transport carrier for highly efficient sub-angstrom scale ethylene/ethane (0.416nm/0.443nm) separation. The elaborate regulation of non-covalent interactions by optimizing the ion/molecule compositions within membrane confers the bi-continuous nanostructure of FTMs, resulting in the formation of successive carrier wires and enormous 3D interconnected ethylene transport pathways, which is verified and visualized by molecular dynamics simulations and synchronous small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS). The as-designed FTMs manifest simultaneously super-high selectivity, excellent ethylene permeance, and robust long-term stability, which exceeds previously reported ethylene/ethane separation membranes. This study clearly draws the first picture of carrier distribution within FTMs, and deep insight into membrane structure will shed light on the design of high-performance separation membranes for energy-intensive gas separations.

中文翻译：

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用于乙烯/乙烷分离的具有可调载流子分布的自组装促进传输膜

易化传输膜 (FTM) 是一项具有前瞻性的技术，并引发了许多能源密集型气体分离领域的革命。然而，从未报道过 FTM 内载流子分布的精确操纵以及纳米级膜结构的可视化。在此，FTM 由质子离子液晶盐 (PILS)、多元醇和乙烯传输载体的简易离子/分子自组装构成，具有可调载流子分布，用于高效亚埃级乙烯/乙烷 (0.416nm/0.443 nm) 分离。通过优化膜内离子/分子组成对非共价相互作用的精细调节赋予 FTM 的双连续纳米结构，从而形成连续的载体线和巨大的 3D 互连乙烯传输途径，通过分子动力学模拟和同步小角和广角 X 射线散射 (SWAXS) 验证和可视化。所设计的 FTM 同时表现出超高的选择性、优异的乙烯渗透性和强大的长期稳定性，这超过了先前报道的乙烯/乙烷分离膜。这项研究清楚地绘制了 FTM 内载流子分布的第一幅图，深入了解膜结构将为用于能源密集型气体分离的高性能分离膜的设计提供启示。这超过了先前报道的乙烯/乙烷分离膜。这项研究清楚地绘制了 FTM 内载流子分布的第一幅图，深入了解膜结构将为用于能源密集型气体分离的高性能分离膜的设计提供启示。这超过了先前报道的乙烯/乙烷分离膜。这项研究清楚地绘制了 FTM 内载流子分布的第一幅图，深入了解膜结构将为用于能源密集型气体分离的高性能分离膜的设计提供启示。