Nanostructured, Fluid‐Bicontinuous Gels for Continuous‐Flow Liquid–Liquid Extraction
Mohd Azeem Khan, Alessio J. Sprockel, Katherine A. Macmillan, Meyer T. Alting, Shankar P. Kharal, Stephen Boakye‐Ansah, Martin F. Haase
Abstract
Abstract Fluid‐bicontinuous gels are unique materials that allow two distinct fluids to interact through a percolating, rigid scaffold. Current restrictions for their use are the large fluid‐channel sizes (>5 µm), limiting the fluid–fluid interaction surface‐area, and the inability to flow liquids through the channels. In this work a scalable synthesis route of nanoparticle stabilized fluid‐bicontinuous gels with channels sizes below 500 nm and specific surface areas of 2 m 2 cm −3 is introduced. Moreover, it is demonstrated that liquids can be pumped through the fluid‐bicontinuous gels via electroosmosis. The fast liquid flow in the fluid‐bicontinuous gel facilitates their use for molecular separations in continuous‐flow liquid–liquid extraction. Together with the high surface areas, liquid flow through fluid‐bicontinuous gels enhances their potential as highly permeable porous materials with possible uses as microreaction media, fuel‐cell components, and separation membranes.