Nanoporous Materials Can Tune the Critical Point of a Pure Substance
Journal
Angewandte Chemie - International Edition
Journal Volume
54
Journal Issue
48
Pages
14349-14352
Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
Abstract
Molecular simulations and NMR relaxometry experiments demonstrate that pure benzene or xylene confined in isoreticular metal-organic frameworks (IRMOFs) exhibit true vapor-liquid phase equilibria where the effective critical point may be reduced by tuning the structure of the MOF. Our results are consistent with vapor and liquid phases extending over many MOF unit cells. These results are counterintuitive since the MOF pore diameters are approximately the same length scale as the adsorbate molecules. As applications of these materials in catalysis, separations, and gas storage rely on the ability to tune the properties of adsorbed molecules, we anticipate that the ability to systematically control the critical point, thereby preparing spatially inhomogeneous local adsorbate densities, could add a new design tool for MOF applications. ? 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Subjects
Adsorbates
Benzene refining
Crystalline materials
Java programming language
Mesoporous materials
Molecules
Organometallics
Phase diagrams
Phase equilibria
Phase transitions
Porous materials
Adsorbate molecules
Adsorbed molecules
Isoreticular metal-organic frameworks
Metal organic framework
Molecular simulations
Nano-porous materials
NMR relaxometry
Spatially inhomogeneous
Microporous materials
SDGs
Type
journal article