Faster Sorption of Propylene Compared to Propane Using an Elastic Layer-Structured Metal-Organic Framework (ELM-11).

The separation of propane and propylene is the most energy-consuming and difficult separation process in the petrochemical industry because of their extremely similar physical properties. Separating propylene from propane using sorption can considerably reduce the energy consumed by current cryogenic distillation techniques. However, sorption involves several major challenges. An elastic layer-structured metal-organic framework (ELM-11) exhibited a highly efficient propane/propylene sorption separation, owing to its kinetic properties. Under equilibrium conditions, propane and propylene exhibited similar sorption capacities, gate opening pressures, and heats of sorption. Thus, their separation under equilibrium conditions is impractical. However, the sorption rates of the two gases were considerably different, showing different diffusion coefficients, resulting in a high kinetic selectivity (214 at 298 K) of propylene over propane on ELM-11. This kinetic selectivity is considerably higher than those obtained in previous studies. Thus, ELM-11 is a promising sorbent for separation technologies.

High-throughput gas separation by flexible metal-organic frameworks with fast gating and thermal management capabilities.

Establishing new energy-saving systems for gas separation using porous materials is indispensable for ensuring a sustainable future. Herein, we show that ELM-11 ([Cu(BF4)2(4,4'-bipyridine)2]n), a member of flexible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), exhibits rapid responsiveness to a gas feed and an 'intrinsic thermal management' capability originating from a structural deformation upon gas adsorption (gate-opening). These two characteristics are suitable for developing a pressure vacuum swing adsorption (PVSA) system with rapid operations. A combined experimental and theoretical study reveals that ELM-11 enables the high-throughput separation of CO2 from a CO2/CH4 gas mixture through adiabatic operations, which are extreme conditions in rapid pressure vacuum swing adsorption. We also propose an operational solution to the 'slipping-off' problem, which is that the flexible MOFs cannot adsorb target molecules when the partial pressure of the target gas decreases below the gate-opening pressure. Furthermore, the superiority of our proposed system over conventional systems is demonstrated.

A flexible two-dimensional layered metal-organic framework functionalized with (trifluoromethyl)trifluoroborate: synthesis, crystal structure, and adsorption/separation properties.

Flexible porous materials have great potential for adsorption/separation of small molecules. In this study, a highly CO2-selective two-dimensional (2D) layered metal-organic framework (MOF) showing gate-type adsorption properties was synthesized and fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), in situ powder XRD, thermogravimetric analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, and gas adsorption/separation analyses. The MOF named ELM-13 is a 2D layered material functionalized with (trifluoromethyl)trifluoroborate to control interlayer interactions and exhibits dynamic guest accommodation/removal properties. In a gas adsorption study, the MOF showed no adsorption at low pressure followed by abrupt uptake and sudden desorption at a pressure lower than that of adsorption, i.e., gate adsorption, in the N2, O2, Ar, NO, and CO2 isotherms at the boiling/sublimation temperature of each gas. The structure of the MOF in the CO2 adsorption was influenced by both the amount adsorbed and the adsorption process. High-pressure adsorption experiments at 273 K indicated that, out of N2, O2, Ar, and CO2, only CO2 was adsorbed on the MOF below 900 kPa. The CO2 selectivity from an equimolar CO2/N2 mixture with a total gas pressure of 1 MPa at 273 K was experimentally evaluated and compared with the CO2 selectivities of other selected porous materials theoretically, suggesting that ELM-13 is a good candidate for CO2 separation.

Double-Step Gate Phenomenon in CO2 Sorption of an Elastic Layer-Structured MOF.

A double-step CO2 sorption by [Cu(4,4'-bpy)2(BF4)2] (ELM-11) was observed during isothermal measurements at 195, 253, 273, and 298 K and was accompanied by interlayer expansion in the layered structure of ELM-11. The first step occurred in the range of the relative pressure (P/P0) from 10(-3) to 10(-2). The second step was observed at P/P0 ≈ 0.3 at the four temperatures. Structural changes in ELM-11 during the CO2 sorption process were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The structural change for the first step was well understood from a detailed structural analysis, as reported previously. The XRD results showed further expansion of the layers during the second step as compared to the already expanded structure in the first step, and both steps were found to be caused by the gate phenomenon. The energy for the expansion of the layer structure was estimated from experimental and simulated data.

The densely fluorinated nanospace of a porous coordination polymer composed of perfluorobutyl-functionalized ligands.

A perfluorobutyl-functionalized two-dimensional porous coordination polymer (PCP), {[Cu(bpbtp)(L)(DMF)]·(DMF)}n (H2bpbtp = 2,5-bis(perfluorobutyl)terephthalic acid, L = 2,5-bis(perfluorobutyl)-1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)benzene, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide) has been synthesized and structurally characterized. The pore surface of the PCP is decorated with pendant perfluorobutyl groups which fabricate a densely fluorinated nanospace resulting in unique gas sorption properties.

Super flexibility of a 2D Cu-based porous coordination framework on gas adsorption in comparison with a 3D framework of identical composition: framework dimensionality-dependent gas adsorptivities.

Selective synthetic routes to coordination polymers [Cu(bpy)(2)(OTf)(2)](n) (bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine, OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate) with 2- and 3-dimensionalities of the frameworks were established by properly choosing each different solvent-solution system. They show a quite similar local coordination environment around the Cu(II) centers, but these assemble in a different way leading to the 2D and 3D building-up structures. Although the two kinds of porous coordination polymers (PCPs) both have flexible frameworks, the 2D shows more marked flexibility than the 3D, giving rise to different flexibility-associated gas adsorption behaviors. All adsorption isotherms for N(2), CO(2), and Ar on the 3D PCP are of type I, whereas the 2D PCP has stepwise gas adsorption isotherms, also for CH(4) and water, in addition to these gases. The 3D structure, having hydrophilic and hydrophobic pores, shows the size-selective and quadrupole-surface electrical field interaction dependent adsorption. Remarkably, the 2D structure can accommodate greater amounts of gas molecules than that corresponding to the inherent crystallographic void volume through framework structural changes. In alcohol adsorption isotherms, however, the 2D PCP changes its framework structure through the guest accommodation, leading to no stepwise adsorption isotherms. The structural diversity of the 2D PCP stems from the breathing phenomenon and expansion/shrinkage modulation.

Tuning of gate opening of an elastic layered structure MOF in CO2 sorption with a trace of alcohol molecules.

It is important to tune the sorption behavior of metal-organic framework (MOF) materials. Ethanol treatment on the hydrated form of [Cu(bpy)(2)(BF(4))(2)], which is a representative flexible MOF showing the fascinating gate phenomenon on CO(2) sorption, induces an easier dehydration and a significant decrease in the CO(2) gate pressure. The results of IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements indicated that water molecules in the lattice of the hydrated form can be removed even at room temperature after the ethanol treatment and the basic 2D layered structure remains with a slight interlayer expansion. The results of thermogravimetric (TG) and gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses and of CO(2) sorptions indicated that the change of the gate phenomenon was caused by a trace of residual ethanol molecules included in the structure. Similar phenomena were observed on alcohols with different polarity and molecular size.

Flexible two-dimensional square-grid coordination polymers: structures and functions.

Coordination polymers (CPs) or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted considerable attention because of the tunable diversity of structures and functions. A 4,4'-bipyridine molecule, which is a simple, linear, exobidentate, and rigid ligand molecule, can construct two-dimensional (2D) square grid type CPs. Only the 2D-CPs with appropriate metal cations and counter anions exhibit flexibility and adsorb gas with a gate mechanism and these 2D-CPs are called elastic layer-structured metal-organic frameworks (ELMs). Such a unique property can make it possible to overcome the dilemma of strong adsorption and easy desorption, which is one of the ideal properties for practical adsorbents.

Dynamic changes in dimensional structures of co-complex crystals.

A two-dimensional flexible porous coordination polymer (2D-PCP) that shows expansion/shrinkage structural transformation accompanied by molecular accommodation was synthesized by control of dimensionality in zero-dimensional and one-dimensional PCPs: The dynamic structural transformation cooperatively proceeds in the solid state with a drastic molecular rearrangement. Kinetics of the structural transformation was investigated.

Elastic layer-structured metal organic frameworks (ELMs).

Elastic layer-structured metal organic frameworks (ELMs) having flexible two-dimensional structure show a gate phenomenon in sorption/desorption of simple gas molecules. The gate phenomenon is accompanied by expansion/shrinkage of the layers. The gas sorption/desorption is not based on a physical adsorption, but on a chemical reaction, which includes high cooperativity. The cooperative reaction could be analyzed thermodynamically. The gate phenomenon showed advantages in separation of CO2 from mixed gases and in storage of CH4 owing to easy release of absorbed molecules.

Reversible structural change of Cu-MOF on exposure to water and its CO2 adsorptivity.

It is important to study the interaction between water molecules and a host structure for understanding the adsorption mechanism of metal-organic framework (MOF) materials. The evolution of the structure of a flexible Cu-MOF, {[Cu(bpy)(H2O)2(BF4)2](bpy)} (bpy=4,4'-bipyridine), upon dehydration and rehydration was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and water adsorption. A nearly reversible structural change was observed upon rehydration. More importantly, a unique CO2 "gate adsorption" phenomenon was observed despite the exposure of the Cu-MOF to water. This shows that the Cu-MOF has relatively good stability after exposure to water.

Quantum sieving effect of three-dimensional Cu-based organic framework for H2 and D2.

The crystal structure of [Cu(4,4'-bipyridine) 2(CF 3SO 3) 2] n metal-organic framework (CuBOTf) of one-dimensional pore networks after pre-evacuation at 383 K was determined with synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction measurement. Effective nanoporosity of the pre-evacuated CuBOTf was determined with N 2 adsorption at 77 K. The experimental H 2 and D 2 adsorption isotherms of CuBOTf at 40 and 77 K were measured and then compared with GCMC-simulated isotherms using the effective nanoporosity. The quantum-simulated H 2 and D 2 isotherms at 77 K using the Feynman-Hibbs effective potential coincided with the experimental ones, giving a direct evidence on the quantum molecular sieving effect for adsorption of H 2 and D 2 on CuBOTf. However, the selectivity for the 1:1 mixed gas of H 2 and D 2 was 1.2. On the contrary, experimental H 2 and D 2 isotherms at 40 K had an explicit adsorption hysteresis, originating from the marked pore blocking effect on measuring the adsorption branch. The blocking effect for quantum H 2 is more prominent than that for quantum D 2; the selectivity for D 2 over H 2 at 40 K was in the range of 2.6 to 5.8. The possibility of the quantum molecular sieving effect for H 2 and D 2 adsorption on [Cu 3(benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) 2(H 2O) 3] n of three-dimensional pore networks was also shown at 77 K.

Coordinated NH3-removal-induced hydrogen adsorption of Cu-complex crystals.

We synthesized a discrete type of organic-inorganic hybrid crystal [Cu(ina)2(NH3)2(H2O)2] (ina = isonicotinate). The monomer units connect to each other with hydrogen bonds and pi-pi interactions, forming a three-dimensional network. Removal of ammonia and water molecules by vacuum heating treatment induced a substantial change from nonporous to porous crystals. The resultant porous crystals can predominantly adsorb supercritical hydrogen rather than nitrogen vapor at 77 K.

Coordination symmetry-dependent structure restoration function of one-dimensional MOFs by molecular respiration.

One-dimensional metal-organic compounds with cis, trans symmetry-controlled counter anions were synthesized (cis compound {[Cu(azpy)(H2O)2(OTs)2]*2H2O*(acetone)} (1) and trans compound {[Cu(H2O)4Cu(azpy)2(OTs)2(H2O)2]*2(OTs)*2H2O*2EtOH} (2)). Only 2, having trans conformation, exhibited a complete structure-restoration effect with a mechanism involving layering of molecular "bricks" of water and solvent molecules.

Novel expansion/shrinkage modulation of 2D layered MOF triggered by clathrate formation with CO(2) molecules.

Crystal-to-crystal transformation from a 3D interpenetrated-type MOF {[Cu(BF(4))(2)(bpy)(H(2)O)(2)] (bpy)} (1) to a 2D square-grid-type [Cu(BF(4))(2)(bpy)(2)] (2) (bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine) was observed. It was derived from dehydration and confirmed by in situ FT-IR, TG, and elemental analysis. Moreover, we elucidate the novel expansion/shrinkage dynamic modulation of 2 triggered by clathrate formation with gas molecules.

Clathrate-formation mediated adsorption of methane on Cu-complex crystals.

We measured adsorption and desorption isotherms of methane on [Cu(4, 4'-bipyridine)2(BF4)2] (LPC) at 258, 273, and 303 K. Adsorption proceeds almost vertically at a definite pressure, which is named gate pressure. The lower the measurement temperature, the smaller the gate pressure. The temperature dependence of the gate pressure is expressed by the Clapeyron-Clausius equation, giving a thermodynamic evidence on the clathrate formation between the Cu complex and methane.