A metal-organic framework with suitable pore size and dual functionalities for highly efficient post-combustion CO2 capture

Effective Separation of Acetylene/Ethylene by the Mesoporous MIL-100(Cr) MOF

Acetylene plays a key role in diverse commercial chemicals and high-quality fuel applications, yet its storage poses significant challenges due to its explosive nature. In-situ plasma-assisted CH4 coupling conversion presents a promising alternative for the safe production of C2 chemicals, including acetylene, assuming that efficient downstream separation processes are feasible. This study focuses on the adsorptive separation of acetylene from ethylene to achieve high-purity acetylene with the use of mesoporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as effective selective adsorbents. Herein, we systematically investigate the acetylene/ethylene separation performance of a series of MIL-100 (M = Al, Fe, V, Cr) MOFs. Single-component sorption data first evidenced that MIL-100(Cr) shows the highest affinity to acetylene, supported by Operando Infrared spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory calculations. These analysis revealed the crucial role played by the Cr3+ coordinatively unsaturated sites and the counter-anions (OH-/F-) bound to 1 of the 3 Cr3+ atoms of the oxo-trimer. Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations further elucidated the microscopic adsorption mechanisms for each single-component and equimolar binary acetylene/ethylene mixtures. Breakthrough experiments demonstrated that MIL-100(Cr) achieves selectivity ranging from 5 to 23, suggesting its potential for dual high-purity acetylene and ethylene production. Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption (VPSA) cycle tests indicated that MIL-100(Cr) achieves high acetylene recovery and moderate purity without a rinse step, while an acetylene rinse step enhances purity for fine chemical raw materials. Overall, this study paves the way toward the promotion of MIL-100(Cr) for future large-scale industrial applications in acetylene harvesting and purification.

Ionic porous materials: from synthetic strategies to applications in gas separation and catalysis

Ionic porous materials possess a unique combination of tunable pore sizes and task-specific interactions between guest molecules and the charged frameworks, which endow them with versatility across diverse domains in chemistry and materials science. Significant advancements in their applications for gas separation and catalysis have been achieved in recent years due to the incorporation of ionic functionalities and ultra-microporous structures that enable molecular-scale recognition of guest molecules. This review summarizes recent advancements in the synthetic strategies of ionic porous materials, establishing design guidelines for the incorporation of ionic moieties into the backbone to fine-tune pore sizes and chemistry. It highlights the synergistic interplay of task-specific interactions with custom-designed pore structures in key applications, including adsorption separation, membrane separation, and gas conversion. Additionally, it examines structure-property relationships, offering deeper insights into enhancing performance. The report also addresses the current challenges in the practical application of these materials. Finally, the review provides future perspectives on ionic porous materials from both scientific and industrial viewpoints. Overall, this review aims to provide insights into pore structure and chemistry, supporting the precise placement of ionic functionalities.

Architecting Metal-Organic Frameworks at Molecular Level toward Direct Air Capture

Escalating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have intensified the greenhouse effect, posing a significant long-term threat to environmental sustainability. Direct air capture (DAC) has emerged as a promising approach to achieving a net-zero carbon future, which offers several practical advantages, such as independence from specific CO2 emission sources, economic feasibility, flexible deployment, and minimal risk of CO2 leakage. The design and optimization of DAC sorbents are crucial for accelerating industrial adoption. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with high structural order and tunable pore sizes, present an ideal solution for achieving strong guest-host interactions under trace CO2 conditions. This perspective highlights recent advancements in using MOFs for DAC, examines the molecular-level effects of water vapor on trace CO2 capture, reviews data-driven computational screening methods to develop a molecularly programmable MOF platform for identifying optimal DAC sorbents, and discusses scale-up and cost of MOFs for DAC.

Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Monoliths With High Surface Areas by a Solvent Knitting Strategy

Hierarchical porous hypercrosslinked monoliths (PolyHIPE-HCP) with ultrahigh specific surface areas are prepared via a solvent knitting strategy. Compared to previous work, the solvent knitting strategy is carried out in a relatively low air-controlled atmosphere with gradient heating starting from low temperature while using DCM (Dichloromethane) as both a solvent and a cross-linker, allowing for a slow and controlled cross-linking process, thereby achieving a BET surface area ranging from 514 to 728 m2 g-1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the knitting process does not affect the presence of macroporous structure in the PolyHIPE. With the introduction of mesopores and micropores, these hierarchical porous monoliths exhibit significant potential for applications in gas adsorption and water treatment. Hence, a universal, simple and low-cost method to synthesize polymeric monoliths with hierarchically porous structure and higher surface area is proposed, which has fascinating prospects in industrialization.

Recent Advances of Carbon Capture in Metal-Organic Frameworks: A Comprehensive Review

The excessive emission of greenhouse gases, which leads to global warming and alarms the world, has triggered a global campaign for carbon neutrality. Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology has aroused wide research interest as a versatile emission mitigation technology. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a new class of high-performance adsorbents, hold great potential for CO2 capture from large point sources and ambient air due to their ultra-high specific surface area as well as pore structure. In recent years, MOFs have made great progress in the field of CO2 capture and separation, and have published a number of important results, which have greatly promoted the development of MOF materials for practical carbon capture applications. This review summarizes the most recent advanced research on MOF materials for carbon capture in various application scenarios over the past six years. The strategies for enhancing CO2 selective adsorption and separation of MOFs are described in detail, along with the development of MOF-based composites. Moreover, this review also systematically summarizes the highly concerned issues of MOF materials in practical applications of carbon capture. Finally, future research on CO2 capture by MOF materials is prospected.

One ligand, two roles: novel pillar-layered metal-organic frameworks built with a 3D ligand and asymmetric inorganic nodes

Herein, we show two cases of pillar-layered MOFs which are built solely with one kind of three-dimensional (3D) ditopic ligand. The ligand in both structures functions not only as an intralayer linker in the layer but also as a "pillar" between adjacent layers. Such multi-functionality of the linker is accompanied by uncommon asymmetric 10-c metal hexamer or 7-c tetramer nodes, which have never been reported in previous 3D MOF structures.

Ultra-High Purity and Productivity Separation of CO2 and C2H2 from CH4 in Rigid Layered Ultramicroporous Material

Efficiently obtaining both high-purity gas-phase and adsorbed-phase products in a single physisorption process presents the challenge of simultaneously achieving high selectivity and uptake and rapid diffusion in adsorbents. With a focus on natural gas purification and high-purity acetylene production, we report for the first time that the synergistic ligand/anion binding mode and multiple diffusion pathways in a robust 2D layered ultramicroporous framework (ZUL-100) enable unprecedented carbon dioxide/methane and acetylene/methane separation performance. Taking advantage of its rich anion, functional ligand ,and rigid 3D interpenetrated ultramicroporous channels, ZUL-100 achieved record IAST selectivities for equimolar carbon dioxide/methane (3.2 × 105) and acetylene/methane (1.7 × 1010) mixtures, accompanied by record dynamic uptakes of carbon dioxide (3.10 mmol/g) and acetylene (4.79 mmol/g), respectively. The strong affinity and fast mass transfer of carbon dioxide and acetylene on ZUL-100 were systematically elucidated by a combination of in situ FTIR, single-crystal XRD, kinetic tests, and DFT-D adsorption/diffusion modeling. In particular, high-purity (≥99.999%) methane and carbon dioxide (acetylene) can both be obtained on ZUL-100 through a single adsorption-desorption cycle, with exceptional productivity (2.81-4.22 mmol/g of methane, 2.96 mmol/g of carbon dioxide, and 4.31 mmol/g of acetylene) and high yield (95.5% for carbon dioxide and 90.0% for acetylene).

Recent Advances of Multidentate Ligand-Based Anion-Pillared MOFs for Enhanced Separation and Purification Processes

As an important subclass of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), anion-pillars MOFs (APMOFs) have recently exhibited exceptional performances in separation and purification processes. The adjustment of pore sizes and environments of APMOFs can be finely tuned through judicious combination of organic ligands, anion pillars, and metal ions. Compared to widely investigated anion pillars, organic ligands are more crucial as they allow for a broader range of pore sizes and environments at the nanometer scale. Furthermore, different from the bidentate ligand-based APMOFs that typically form three-dimensional (3D) frameworks with pcu topology, APMOFs constructed using multidentate nitrogen(N)-containing ligands (with a coordination number ≥ 3) offer opportunities to create APMOFs with diverse topologies. The larger dimensions and possible distortion of multidentate N-containing ligands prove advantageous for addressing multi-component hydrocarbon separations encompassing a broad spectrum of dynamic diameters. Therefore, this Review summarizes the structural characteristics of multidentate ligand-based APMOFs and their enhanced performances for gas separation and purification processes. Additionally, it discusses current challenges and prospects associated with constructing multidentate ligand-based APMOFs while providing prospects. This critical review will provide valuable insights and guides for designing and developing advanced multidentate ligand-based APMOF adsorbents.

Efficient CO2 Capture and Separation in MOFs: Effect from Isoreticular Double Interpenetration

Severe CO2 emissions has posed an increasingly alarming threat, motivating the development of efficient CO2 capture materials, one of the key parts of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). In this study, a series of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) named Sc-X (X = S, M, L) were constructed inspired by recorded MOFs, Zn-BPZ-SA and MFU-4l-Li. The corresponding isoreticular double-interpenetrating MOFs (Sc-X-IDI) were subsequently constructed via the introduction of isoreticular double interpenetration. Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations were adopted at 298 K and 0.1-1.0 bar to comprehensively evaluate the CO2 capture and separation performances in Sc-X and Sc-X-IDI, with gas distribution, isothermal adsorption heat (Qst), and van der Waals (vdW)/Coulomb interactions. It is showed that isoreticular double interpenetration significantly improved the interactions between adsorbed gases and frameworks by precisely modulating pore sizes, particularly observed in Sc-M and Sc-M-IDI. Specifically, the Qst and Coulomb interactions exhibited a substantial increase, rising from 28.38 and 22.19 kJ mol-1 in Sc-M to 43.52 and 38.04 kJ mol-1 in Sc-M-IDI, respectively, at 298 K and 1.0 bar. Besides, the selectivity of CO2 over CH4/N2 was enhanced from 55.36/107.28 in Sc-M to 3308.61/7021.48 in Sc-M-IDI. However, the CO2 capture capacity is significantly influenced by the pore size. Sc-M, with a favorable pore size, exhibits the highest capture capacity of 15.86 mmol g-1 at 298 K and 1.0 bar. This study elucidated the impact of isoreticular double interpenetration on the CO2 capture performance in MOFs.

Water-stable metal-organic frameworks (MOFs): rational construction and carbon dioxide capture

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered to be a promising porous material due to their excellent porosity and chemical tailorability. However, due to the relatively weak strength of coordination bonds, the stability (e.g., water stability) of MOFs is usually poor, which severely inhibits their practical applications. To prepare water-stable MOFs, several important strategies such as increasing the bonding strength of building units and introducing hydrophobic units have been proposed, and many MOFs with excellent water stability have been prepared. Carbon dioxide not only causes a range of climate and health problems but also is a by-product of some important chemicals (e.g., natural gas). Due to their excellent adsorption performances, MOFs are considered as a promising adsorbent that can capture carbon dioxide efficiently and energetically, and many water-stable MOFs have been used to capture carbon dioxide in various scenarios, including flue gas decarbonization, direct air capture, and purified crude natural gas. In this review, we first introduce the design and synthesis of water-stable MOFs and then describe their applications in carbon dioxide capture, and finally provide some personal comments on the challenges facing these areas.

Optimizing Sieving Effect for CO2 Capture from Humid Air Using an Adaptive Ultramicroporous Framework

Excessive CO2 in the air can not only lead to serious climate problems but also cause serious damage to humans in confined spaces. Here, a novel metal-organic framework (FJI-H38) with adaptive ultramicropores and multiple active sites is prepared. It can sieve CO2 from air with the very high adsorption capacity/selectivity but the lowest adsorption enthalpy among the reported physical adsorbents. Such excellent adsorption performances can be retained even at high humidity. Mechanistic studies show that the polar ultramicropore is very suitable for molecular sieving of CO2 from N2 , and the distinguishable adsorption sites for H2 O and CO2 enable them to be co-adsorbed. Notably, the adsorbed-CO2 -driven pore shrinkage can further promote CO2 capture while the adsorbed-H2 O-induced phase transitions in turn inhibit H2 O adsorption. Moreover, FJI-H38 has excellent stability and recyclability and can be synthesized on a large scale, making it a practical trace CO2 adsorbent. This will provide a new strategy for developing practical adsorbents for CO2 capture from the air.

Integrated CO2 capture and electrochemical upgradation: the underpinning mechanism and techno-chemical analysis

Coupling post-combustion CO2 capture with electrochemical utilization (CCU) is a quantum leap in renewable energy science since it eliminates the cost and energy involved in the transport and storage of CO2. However, the major challenges involved in industrial scale implementation are selecting an appropriate solvent/electrolyte for CO2 capture, modeling an appropriate infrastructure by coupling an electrolyser with a CO2 point source and a separator to isolate CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) products, and finally selection of an appropriate electrocatalyst. In this review, we highlight the major difficulties with detailed mechanistic interpretation in each step, to find out the underpinning mechanism involved in the integration of electrochemical CCU to achieve higher-value products. In the past decades, most of the studies dealt with individual parts of the integration process, i.e., either selecting a solvent for CO2 capture, designing an electrocatalyst, or choosing an ideal electrolyte. In this context, it is important to note that solvents such as monoethanolamine, bicarbonate, and ionic liquids are often used as electrolytes in CO2 capture media. Therefore, it is essential to fabricate a cost-effective electrolyser that should function as a reversible binder with CO2 and an electron pool capable of recovering the solvent to electrolyte reversibly. For example, reversible ionic liquids, which are non-ionic in their normal forms, but produce ionic forms after CO2 capture, can be further reverted back to their original non-ionic forms after CO2 release with almost 100% efficiency through the chemical or thermal modulations. This review also sheds light on a focused techno-economic evolution for converting the electrochemically integrated CCU process from a pilot-scale project to industrial-scale implementation. In brief, this review article will summarize a state-of-the-art argumentation of challenges and outcomes over the different segments involved in electrochemically integrated CCU to stimulate urgent progress in the field.

Principles of Design and Synthesis of Metal Derivatives from MOFs

Materials derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have demonstrated exceptional structural variety and complexity and can be synthesized using low-cost scalable methods. Although the inherent instability and low electrical conductivity of MOFs are largely responsible for their low uptake for catalysis and energy storage, a superior alternative is MOF-derived metal-based derivatives (MDs) as these can retain the complex nanostructures of MOFs while exhibiting stability and electrical conductivities of several orders of magnitude higher. The present work comprehensively reviews MDs in terms of synthesis and their nanostructural design, including oxides, sulfides, phosphides, nitrides, carbides, transition metals, and other minor species. The focal point of the approach is the identification and rationalization of the design parameters that lead to the generation of optimal compositions, structures, nanostructures, and resultant performance parameters. The aim of this approach is to provide an inclusive platform for the strategies to design and process these materials for specific applications. This work is complemented by detailed figures that both summarize the design and processing approaches that have been reported and indicate potential trajectories for development. The work is also supported by comprehensive and up-to-date tabular coverage of the reported studies.

Ultramicroporous iron-isonicotinate MOFs combining size-exclusion kinetics and thermodynamics for efficient CO2/N2 gas separation

Two ultramicroporous 2D and 3D iron-based Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have been obtained by solvothermal synthesis using different ratios and concentrations of precursors. Their reduced pore space decorated with pendant pyridine from tangling isonicotinic ligands enables the combination of size-exclusion kinetic gas separation, due to their small pores, with thermodynamic separation, resulting from the interaction of the linker with CO2 molecules. This combined separation results in efficient materials for dynamic breakthrough gas separation with virtually infinite CO2/N2 selectivity in a wide operando range and with complete renewability at room temperature and ambient pressure.

Fluorinated metal-organic frameworks for gas separation

Fluorinated metal-organic frameworks (F-MOFs) as fast-growing porous materials have revolutionized the field of gas separation due to their tunable pore apertures, appealing chemical features, and excellent stability. A deep understanding of their structure-performance relationships is critical for the synthesis and development of new F-MOFs. This critical review has focused on several strategies for the precise design and synthesis of new F-MOFs with structures tuned for specific gas separation purposes. First, the basic principles and concepts of F-MOFs as well as their structure, synthesis and modification and their structure to property relationships are studied. Then, applications of F-MOFs in adsorption and membrane gas separation are discussed. A detailed account of the design and capabilities of F-MOFs for the adsorption of various gases and the governing principles is provided. In addition, the exceptional characteristics of highly stable F-MOFs with engineered pore size and tuned structures are put into perspective to fabricate selective membranes for gas separation. Systematic analysis of the position of F-MOFs in gas separation revealed that F-MOFs are benchmark materials in most of the challenging gas separations. The outlook and future directions of the science and engineering of F-MOFs and their challenges are highlighted to tackle the issues of overcoming the trade-off between capacity/permeability and selectivity for a serious move towards industrialization.

Straightforward Mechanosynthesis of a Phase-Pure Interpenetrated MOF-5 Bearing a Size-Matching Tetrazine-Based Linker

The archetypal metal-organic framework-5 (MOF-5 or IRMOF-1) has been explored as a benchmark sorbent material with untapped potential to be studied in the capture and storage of gases and chemical confinement. Several derivatives of this framework have been prepared using the multivariate (MTV) strategy through mixing size-matching linkers to isolate, for example, MIXMOFs that outperform same-linker congeners when employed as gas reservoirs. Herein, we describe a straightforward protocol that uses mechanosynthesis (solvent-free grinding) followed by mild activation in dimethylformamide (DMF)/CHCl₃ (40 °C and ambient pressure) to synthesize a functional phase-pure interpenetrated MOF-5 (int-MOF-5) bearing the size-matching 1,4-benzene dicarboxylate (BDC) and 1,2,4,5-tetrazine-3,6-dicarboxylate (TZDC) linkers in the backbone of the interpenetrated MIXMOF. We found that the grinding involving a mixture of H₂TZDC and H₂BDC in a 1:4 ratio (20% of H₂TZDC) in the presence of zinc(II) acetate yields a crystalline solid that upon activation forms a phase-pure int-MOF-5 herein referred to as 20%TZDC-MOF-5. The crystalline phase, thermal stability, and porous structure of 20%TZDC-MOF-5 were thoroughly characterized, and the gas adsorption performance of the MIXMOF was investigated through the isotherms of N₂ and H₂ at 77 K and CO₂ at 273 and 296 K. The pore size distribution for 20%TZDC-MOF-5 was found to be very similar to that determined using single crystals of the same-linker int-MOF-5. The presence of TZDC in the MIXMOF led to a slight increase in the uptake values for both H₂ and CO₂, suggesting that beneficial interactions take place. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report presenting a suitable protocol to yield a functionalized int-MOF-5 as a promising means of synergistically fine-tuning the confinement of small target molecules such as CO₂ and H₂.

Efficient One-Step Purification of C1 and C2 Hydrocarbons over CO2 in a New CO2-Selective MOF with a Gate-Opening Effect

Removing CO2 impurity is an essential industrial process in the purification of hydrocarbons. The most promising strategy is the one-step collection of high-purity hydrocarbons by employing CO2-selective adsorbents, which requires improving the CO2 adsorption and separation behavior of adsorbents, especially the low-pressure performance under actual industrial conditions. Herein, we constructed a new flexible metal-organic framework [Zn(odip)0.5(bpe)0.5(CH3OH)]·0.5NMF·H2O (1) (H4odip = 5,5'-oxydiisophthalic acid, bpe = 1,2-bi(4-pyridyl)ethylene, and NMF = N-methylformamide) containing rich ether O adsorption sites in the channels that exhibits remarkable adsorption capacity for CO2 (118.7 cm3 g-1) due to the only gate-opening-type abrupt adsorption of CO2 at room temperature. Its low affinity for other competing gases enables it to deliver high selectivity for the adsorption of CO2 over C1 and C2 hydrocarbons. For equimolar mixtures of CO2-CH4 and CO2-C2H2, the selectivities are 376.0 and 13.2, respectively. Molecular simulations disclose more abundant adsorption sites for CO2 than hydrocarbons in 1. The breakthrough separation performances combined with remarkable stability and recyclability further verify that 1 is a promising adsorbent that can efficiently extract high-purity hydrocarbons through selective capture of CO2.

Advanced Theory and Simulation to Guide the Development of CO2 Capture Solvents

Increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases due to industrial activity have led to concerning levels of global warming. Reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, one of the main contributors to the greenhouse effect, is key to mitigating further warming and its negative effects on the planet. CO₂ capture solvent systems are currently the only available technology deployable at scales commensurate with industrial processes. Nonetheless, designing these solvents for a given application is a daunting task requiring the optimization of both thermodynamic and transport properties. Here, we discuss the use of atomic scale modeling for computing reaction energetics and transport properties of these chemically complex solvents. Theoretical studies have shown that in many cases, one is dealing with a rich ensemble of chemical species in a coupled equilibrium that is often difficult to characterize and quantify by experiment alone. As a result, solvent design is a balancing act between multiple parameters which have optimal zones of effectiveness depending on the operating conditions of the application. Simulation of reaction mechanisms has shown that CO₂ binding and proton transfer reactions create chemical equilibrium between multiple species and that the agglomeration of resulting ions and zwitterions can have profound effects on bulk solvent properties such as viscosity. This is balanced against the solvent systems needing to perform different functions (e.g., CO₂ uptake and release) depending on the thermodynamic conditions (e.g., temperature and pressure swings). The latter constraint imposes a "Goldilocks" range of effective parameters, such as binding enthalpy and pK _a, which need to be tuned at the molecular level. The resulting picture is that solvent development requires an integrated approach where theory and simulation can provide the necessary ingredients to balance competing factors.

Uncoordinated Hexafluorosilicates in a Microporous Metal-Organic Framework Enabled C2H2/CO2 Separation

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a kind of low-energy physisorbent with modifiable pores and framework structures; however, a deep understanding of how these structural features influence properties is a prerequisite for the rational design and development of tailor-made materials for advanced applications. In this report, a MOF, [Ni₂(TCPP-Ni)_1/4(TPIM)₂(COOH)F][(Me₂NH₂)SiF₆]·xS (SDU-CP-1; S = solvent molecules, SDU = Shandong University, and CP = coordination polymer), assembled by tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP-Ni) and 2,4,5-tris(4-pyridyl)imidazole (TPIM) ligands as well as Ni²⁺ cations is reported. Interestingly, inorganic SiF₆^2- anions do not serve as the pillars like precedents in the framework but are just counterions, which endows SDU-CP-1 with high uptake for C₂H₂ and adsorption selectivity (2.5-4.2) for C₂H₂/CO₂ at room temperature, as certified by gas adsorption and separation experiments and grand canonical Monte Carlo calculation.

Homogeneously Mixing Different Metal-Organic Framework Structures in Single Nanocrystals through Forming Solid Solutions

Pore engineering plays a significant role in the applications of porous materials, especially in the area of separation and catalysis. Here, we demonstrated a metal-organic framework (MOF) solid solution (MOSS) strategy to homogeneously and controllably mix NU-1000 and NU-901 structures inside single MOF nanocrystals. The key for the homogeneous mixing and forming of MOSS was the bidentate modulator, which was designed to have a slightly longer distance between two carboxylate groups than the original tetratopic ligand. All of the MOSS nanocrystals showed a uniform pore size distribution with a well-tuned ratio of mesopores to micropores. Because of the appropriate pore ratio, MOSS nanocrystals can balance the thermodynamic interactions and kinetic diffusion of the substrates, thus showing exceedingly higher separation abilities and a unique elution sequence. Our work proposes a rational strategy to design mixed-porous MOFs with controlled pore ratios and provides a new direction to design homogeneously mixed MOFs with a high separation ability and unique separation selectivity.

Preparation of adsorption materials by combustion method: a new approach to the preparation of magnesia doped with trace zirconium

Here, Zr-doping MgO adsorbents were prepared by combustion method with the aid of salicylic acid which was a facile and efficient method for functional material preparation. The one doped with 2% ZrO2 showed excellent performance in CO2 capture.

Precision release systems of food bioactive compounds based on metal-organic frameworks: synthesis, mechanisms and recent applications

Controlled release (CR) systems have become a powerful platform for accurate and effective delivery of bioactive compounds (BCs). Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are one of the best BCs-loaded carriers for CR systems. In the review, the principles and methods of the design and synthesis of MOFs-CR systems are summarized in detail, the encapsulation of BCs by MOFs and CR mechanisms are explored, and their biological toxicity and biocompatibility are highlighted and applications in the food industry are discussed. In addition, current challenges in this field and possible future development directions are also presented. MOFs have been proven to encapsulate BCs effectively, including gaseous and solid molecules, and control the release of BCs through spontaneous diffusion or stimulus-response. The solubility, stability and biocompatibility of BCs encapsulated by MOFs are greatly improved, which expands their applications in foods. The effective CR of BCs by MOFs-CR systems is beneficial to assist in maintaining or even improving the quality and safety of food, reduce the BCs usage while increasing the bioavailability. Low- or non-biotoxic MOFs, especially bio-MOFs, show greater application prospects in the food industry.

Advanced strategies in Metal-Organic Frameworks for CO2 Capture and Separation

The continuous carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) gas emissions associated with fossil fuel production, valorization, and utilization are serious challenges to the global environment. Therefore, several developments of CO₂ capture, separation, transportation, storage, and valorization have been explored. Consequently, we documented a comprehensive review of the most advanced strategies adopted in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for CO₂ capture and separation. The enhancements in CO₂ capture and separation are generally achieved due to the chemistry of MOFs by controlling pore window, pore size, open-metal sites, acidity, chemical doping, post or pre-synthetic modifications. The chemistry of defects engineering, breathing in MOFs, functionalization in MOFs, hydrophobicity, and topology are the salient advanced strategies, recently reported in MOFs for CO₂ capture and separation. Therefore, this review summarizes MOF materials' advancement explaining different strategies and their role in the CO₂ mitigations. The study also provided useful insights into key areas for further investigations.

Controllable Microporous Framework Isomerism within Continuous Mesoporous Channels: Hierarchically Porous Structure for Capture of Bulky Molecules

To date, some attempts have been made to synthesize hierarchically porous metal-organic frameworks (HPMOFs), and in most cases, mesopores are formed in microporous frameworks. However, mass transfer and diffusion are still limited in such HPMOFs since micropores connect mesopores and mesopores are noncontinuous. Here, we fabricate a new hierarchical structure through the formation of microporous MOFs within continuous mesoporous channels. Confined space in the as-prepared mesoporous silica-containing template was used to prepare well-dispersed metal precursor of ZnO. The strategy of ligand vapor-induced crystallization was then designed to construct MOFs inside mesoporous channels, in which vapored ligand at elevated temperature diffuses and reacts with metal precursor. Our results indicate that framework isomerism is controllable by adjusting the crystallization conditions. In comparison to their microporous and mesoporous counterparts, the hierarchically porous materials show obviously enhanced adsorption performance on a series of bulky molecules including dye, enzyme, and metal-organic polyhedron.

Construction of an Anion-Pillared MOF Database and the Screening of MOFs Suitable for Xe/Kr Separation

The separation of xenon/krypton (Xe/Kr) mixtures is a challenging process. Many porous materials allow the adsorption of both Xe and Kr but only with low selectivity. Anion-pillared metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), featuring the anion groups as structural pillars, show potential in gas separations, but only a limited number of them have been synthesized. Here, we describe a collection of 936 anion-pillared MOFs based on 22 experimentally available structures. We performed density functional theory (DFT) optimization and then assigned density-derived electrostatic and chemical (DDEC) charges for each MOF to make them well suited to molecular simulations. The structural properties of the MOFs vary more strongly with the choice of the organic ligand than with other aspects like fluorine groups and metal centers. We then screened the entire collection of MOFs in the context of Xe/Kr separation at room temperature. Compared with previously reported MOFs, the interpenetrated MOF SIFSIX-6-Cd-i is predicted to perform better for Xe/Kr separations, with a good balance between working capacity (1.62 mmol/g) and separation selectivity (16.4) at 298 K and 100 kPa. We also found that the heterogeneity of fluorine groups within a MOF can help to enhance Xe working capacity without reducing the Xe/Kr selectivity, suggesting that synthesis of anion-pillared MOFs with mixed fluorine groups may lead to improved Xe/Kr separation performance.

Selective CO2 Sorption Using Compartmentalized Coordination Polymers with Discrete Voids*

Carbon capture and storage with porous materials is one of the most promising technologies to minimize CO₂ release into the atmosphere. Here, we report a family of compartmentalized coordination polymers (CCPs) capable of capturing gas molecules in a selective manner based on two novel tetrazole-based ligands. Crystal structures have been modelled theoretically under the Density Functional Theory (DFT) revealing the presence of discrete voids of 380 ų . Single gas adsorption isotherms of N₂ , CH₄ and CO₂ have been measured, obtaining a loading capacity of 0.6, 1.7 and 2.2 molecules/void at 10 bar and at 298 K for the best performing material. Moreover, they present excellent selectivity and regenerability for CO₂ in mixtures with CH₄ and N₂ in comparison with other reported materials, as evidenced by dynamic breakthrough gas experiments. These frameworks are therefore great candidates for separation of gas mixtures in the chemical engineering industry.

A novel expanded metal-organic framework for balancing volumetric and gravimetric methane storage working capacities

A novel expanded metal-organic framework (UTSA-111a) with functional pyrimidine sites exhibits simultaneously high gravimetric and volumetric methane storage working capacities of 309 cm³ (STP) g^-1 and 183 cm³ (STP) cm^-3 at 298 K and 5.8-65 bar.

Recent Progress on Microfine Design of Metal-Organic Frameworks: Structure Regulation and Gas Sorption and Separation

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as an important and unique class of functional crystalline hybrid porous materials in the past two decades. Due to their modular structures and adjustable pore system, such distinctive materials have exhibited remarkable prospects in key applications pertaining to adsorption such as gas storage, gas and liquid separations, and trace impurity removal. Evidently, gaining a better understanding of the structure-property relationship offers great potential for the enhancement of a given associated MOF property either by structural adjustments via isoreticular chemistry or by the design and construction of new MOF structures via the practice of reticular chemistry. Correspondingly, the application of isoreticular chemistry paves the way for the microfine design and structure regulation of presented MOFs. Explicitly, the microfine tuning is mainly based on known MOF platforms, focusing on the modification and/or functionalization of a precise part of the MOF structure or pore system, thus providing an effective approach to produce richer pore systems with enhanced performances from a limited number of MOF platforms. Here, the latest progress in this field is highlighted by emphasizing the differences and connections between various methods. Finally, the challenges together with prospects are also discussed.

Immobilization of a Polar Sulfone Moiety onto the Pore Surface of a Humid-Stable MOF for Highly Efficient CO2 Separation under Dry and Wet Environments through Direct CO2-Sulfone Interactions

The stability of microporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in moist environments must be taken into consideration for their practical implementations, which has been largely ignored thus far. Herein, we synthesized a new moisture-stable Zn-MOF, {[Zn₂(SDB)₂(L)₂]·2DMA}_n, IITKGP-12, by utilizing a bent organic linker 4,4'-sulfonyldibenzoic acid (H₂SDB) containing a polar sulfone group (-SO₂) and a N, N-donor spacer (L) with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of 216 m² g^-1. This material displays greater CO₂ adsorption capacity over N₂ and CH₄ with high IAST selectivity, which is also validated by breakthrough experiments with longer breakthrough times for CO₂. Most importantly, the separation performance is largely unaffected in the presence of moisture of simulated flue gas stream. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) analysis shows the ease of the regeneration process, and the performance was verified for multiple cycles. In order to understand the structure-function relationship at the atomistic level, grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) calculation was performed, indicating that the primary binding site for CO₂ is between the sulfone moieties in IITKGP-12. CO₂ is attracted to the bonded structure (V-shape) of the sulfone moieties in a perpendicular fashion, where C_CO2 is aligned with S, and the CO₂ axis bisects the SO₂ axis. Thus, the strategic approach to immobilize the polar sulfone moiety with a high number of inherent stronger M-N coordination and the absence of coordination unsaturation made this MOF potential toward practical CO₂ separation applications.

Acid-Base-Resistant Metal-Organic Framework for Size-Selective Carbon Dioxide Capture

The development of practical porous materials for the selective capture of CO₂ from flue gas and crude biogas is highly critical for both environment protection and energy safety. Here, a novel metal-organic framework (FJI-H29) has been prepared, which not only has excellent acid-base resistance but also possesses polar micropores (3.4-4.3 Å) that can match CO₂ molecules well. FJI-H29 can selectively capture CO₂ from N₂ and CH₄ with excellent separation efficiency and suitable adsorption enthalpy under ambient conditions. Breakthrough experiments further confirm its practicability for both CO₂/N₂ and CO₂/CH₄ separation. All of these confirm FJI-H29 is a practical CO₂ adsorbent. Modeling calculations reveal that the confinement effect of micropores and the polar environment synergistically promotes the selective adsorption of CO₂, which will provide a potential strategy for the synthesis of a practical metal-organic framework for CO₂ capture.