Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41238568›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Spirocyclic poly(vinylene ether ketone) membranes with enhanced microporosity for energy-efficient alcohol-hydrocarbon azeotrope separation.

Jiaqi Li, Yijie Fang, Ruiyan Xiong, Weilin Feng, Hukang Guo, Fupeng Li, Mengxiao Zhang, Shuai Wang, Chuanjie Fang, Baoku Zhu and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jiaqi LiMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3227-5749
Yijie FangMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
Ruiyan XiongMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
Weilin FengMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
Hukang GuoMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
Fupeng LiMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-7109-6072
Mengxiao ZhangMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
Shuai WangCenter for Healthcare Materials, Shaoxing Institute, Zhejiang University, Shaoxing, P.R. China.
Chuanjie FangCenter for Healthcare Materials, Shaoxing Institute, Zhejiang University, Shaoxing, P.R. China.
Baoku ZhuMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
Young Moo LeeDepartment of Energy Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5047-3143
Liping ZhuMOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China. lpzhu@zju.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1553-4190

Funding

Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology) 2021YFB3801503National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 52373218National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 52503146National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 52573237
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The energy-efficient separation of azeotropic organic mixtures remains a critical challenge in chemical manufacturing. Conventional thermal-driven processes like distillation and pervaporation face fundamental thermodynamic constraints, requiring energy-intensive phase transitions. We present a pressure-driven membrane solution using a spirocyclic poly(vinylene ether ketone) membrane with enhanced microporosity that achieves alcohol-selective permeation from alcohol-hydrocarbon azeotropes. The membrane demonstrates separation factors of 330 for ethanol/cyclohexane and 74 for ethanol/heptane systems, while reducing energy consumption by 2-3 orders of magnitude compared to conventional methods. Through multiscale characterization and molecular dynamics simulations, we elucidate the dual mechanism governing separation performance: differential surface adsorption affinity and restricted hydrocarbon diffusion within micropores of membrane. Here, we show a molecular sieving strategy bypasses traditional volatility-based separation paradigms, offering an approach for azeotrope fractionation with transformative potential for sustainable chemical processing.

Identifiers

PMID41238568
PMCPMC12618507

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.