Aligned macrocycle pores in ultrathin films for accurate molecular sieving

Abstract Polymer membranes are widely used in separation processes including desalination 1 , organic solvent nanofiltration 2,3 and crude oil fractionation 4,5 . Nevertheless, direct evidence of subnanometre pores and a feasible method of manipulating their size is still challenging because of the molecular fluctuations of poorly defined voids in polymers 6 . Macrocycles with intrinsic cavities could potentially tackle this challenge. However, unfunctionalized macrocycles with indistinguishable reactivities tend towards disordered packing in films hundreds of nanometres thick 7–9 , hindering cavity interconnection and formation of through-pores. Here, we synthesized selectively functionalized macrocycles with…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: DGE-1324585, 1324585
• EC
  European Commission

  Awards: 786398, 899528
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Award: AN 370/8-1
• KA
  King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

  Award: OSR-2017-CRG6
• EA
  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

  Awards: EP/R029180/1, EP/R029180/2, EP/R018847, EP/V047078/1
• DO
  Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems