Metal-Organic Frameworks as advanced moisture sorbents for energy-efficient high temperature cooling

Transitioning metal-organic frameworks from the laboratory to market through applied research

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have captivated researchers for over 25 years, yet few have successfully transitioned to commercial markets. This Perspective elucidates the progress, challenges and opportunities in moving MOFs to market, focusing on applied research. The five applied research steps that enable technology development and demonstration are reviewed: synthesis, forming, processing (washing and activation), prototyping and compliance. Furthermore, the importance of a comprehensive techno-economic analysis incorporating a complete picture of costs and revenues is discussed. Readers can use the understanding of applied research presented herein to tackle their MOF commercialization challenges.

A Functionally Asymmetric Janus Hygro-Photothermal Hybrid for Atmospheric Water Harvesting in Arid Regions

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are high-performance adsorbents for atmospheric water harvesting but have poor water-desorption ability, requiring excess energy input to release the trapped water. Addressing this issue, a Janus-structured adsorbent with functional asymmetry is presented. The material exhibits contrasting functionalities on either face - a hygroscopic face interfaced with a photothermal face. Hygroscopic aluminum fumarate MOF and photothermal CuxS layers are in-situ grown on opposite sides of a Cu/Al bimetallic substrate, resulting in a CuxS-Cu/Al-MOF Janus hygro-photothermal hybrid. The two faces serve as independent "factories" for photothermal conversion and water adsorption-desorption respectively, while the interfacing bimetallic layer serves as a "heat conveyor belt" between them. Due to the high porosity and hydrophilicity of the MOF, the hybrid exhibits a water-adsorption capacity of 0.161 g g-1 and a fast adsorption rate (saturation within 52 min) at 30% relative humidity. Thanks to the photothermal CuxS, the hybrid can reach 71.5 °C under 1 Sun in 20 min and desorb 97% adsorbed water in 40 min, exhibiting a high photothermal conversion efficiency of over 90%. CuxS-Cu/Al-MOF exhibits minimal fluctuations after 200 cycles, and its water-generation capacity is 3.21 times that of powdery MOF in 3 h in a self-designed prototype in one cycle.

When Polymorphism in Metal-Organic Frameworks Enables Water Sorption Profile Tunability for Enhancing Heat Allocation and Water Harvesting Performance

The development of thermally driven water-sorption-based technologies relies on high-performing water vapor adsorbents. Here, polymorphism in Al-metal-organic frameworks is disclosed as a new strategy to tune the hydrophilicity of MOFs. This involves the formation of MOFs built from chains of either trans- or cis- µ-OH-connected corner-sharing AlO4(OH)2 octahedra. Specifically, [Al(OH)(muc)] or MIP-211, is made of trans, trans-muconate linkers, and cis-µ-OH-connected corner-sharing AlO4(OH)2 octahedra giving a 3D network with sinusoidal channels. The polymorph MIL-53-muc has a tiny change in the chain structure that results in a shift of the step position of the water isotherm from P/P0 ≈ 0.5 in MIL-53-muc, to P/P0 ≈ 0.3 in MIP-211. Solid-state NMR and Grand Canonical Monte Carlo reveal that the adsorption occurs initially between two hydroxyl groups of the chains, favored by the cis-positioning in MIP-211, resulting in a more hydrophilic behavior. Finally, theoretical evaluations show that MIP-211 would allow achieving a coefficient of performance for cooling (COPc) of 0.63 with an ultralow driving temperature of 60 °C, outperforming benchmark sorbents for small temperature lifts. Combined with its high stability, easy regeneration, huge water uptake capacity, green synthesis, MIP-211 is among the best adsorbents for adsorption-driven air conditioning and water harvesting from the air.

Consecutive Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Isomerization of Novel Octamolybdate Anions within a Microporous Hybrid Framework with Robust Water Sorption Properties

The 3D hybrid framework [{Cu(cyclam)}3 (κ-Mo8 O27 )] ⋅ 14H2 O (1) (cyclam=1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) undergoes sequential single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations upon heating to afford two different anhydrous phases (2 a and 3 a). These transitions modify the framework dimensionality and enable the isomerization of κ-octamolybdate (κ-Mo8 ) anions into λ (2 a) and μ (3 a) forms through metal migration. Hydration of 3 a involves condensation of one water molecule to the cluster to afford the γ-Mo8 isomer in 4, which dehydrates back into 3 a through the 6 a intermediate. In contrast, 2 a reversibly hydrates to form 5, exhibiting the same Mo8 cluster as that of 1. It is remarkable that three of the Mo8 clusters (κ, λ and μ) are new and that up to three different microporous phases can be isolated from 1 (2 a, 3 a, and 6 a). Water vapor sorption analyses show high recyclability and the highest uptake values for POM-based systems. The isotherms display an abrupt step at low humidity level desirable for humidity control devices or water harvesting in drylands.

Sorption-Based Atmospheric Water Harvesting: Materials, Components, Systems, and Applications

Freshwater scarcity is a global challenge posing threats to the lives and daily activities of humankind such that two-thirds of the global population currently experience water shortages. Atmospheric water, irrespective of geographical location, is considered as an alternative water source. Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) has recently emerged as an efficient strategy for decentralized water production. SAWH thus opens up a self-sustaining source of freshwater that can potentially support the global population for various applications. In this review, the state-of-the-art of SAWH, considering its operation principle, thermodynamic analysis, energy assessment, materials, components, different designs, productivity improvement, scale-up, and application for drinking water, is first extensively explored. Thereafter, the practical integration and potential application of SAWH, beyond drinking water, for wide range of utilities in agriculture, fuel/electricity production, thermal management in building services, electronic devices, and textile are comprehensively discussed. The various strategies to reduce human reliance on natural water resources by integrating SAWH into existing technologies, particularly in underdeveloped countries, in order to satisfy the interconnected needs for food, energy, and water are also examined. This study further highlights the urgent need and future research directions to intensify the design and development of hybrid-SAWH systems for sustainability and diverse applications.

Monolithic Zirconium-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks for Energy-Efficient Water Adsorption Applications

Space cooling and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) accounts for roughly 10% of global electricity use and are responsible for ca. 1.13 gigatonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. Adsorbent-based HVAC technologies have long been touted as an energy-efficient alternative to traditional refrigeration systems. However, thus far, no suitable adsorbents have been developed which overcome the drawbacks associated with traditional sorbent materials such as silica gels and zeolites. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer order-of-magnitude improvements in water adsorption and regeneration energy requirements. However, the deployment of MOFs in HVAC applications has been hampered by issues related to MOF powder processing. Herein, three high-density, shaped, monolithic MOFs (UiO-66, UiO-66-NH₂ , and Zr-fumarate) with exceptional volumetric gas/vapor uptake are developed-solving previous issues in MOF-HVAC deployment. The monolithic structures across the mesoporous range are visualized using small-angle X-ray scattering and lattice-gas models, giving accurate predictions of adsorption characteristics of the monolithic materials. It is also demonstrated that a fragile MOF such as Zr-fumarate can be synthesized in monolithic form with a bulk density of 0.76 gcm^-3 without losing any adsorption performance, having a coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.71 with a low regeneration temperature (≤ 100 °C).

Pathways to Energy-efficient Water Production from the Atmosphere

Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) provides a fascinating chance to facilitate a sustainable water supply, which obtains considerable attention recently. However, ignoring the energy efficiency of AWH leads to high energy consumption in current prototypes (ca. 101 to 102  MJ kg-1 ), misfitting with the high-strung and complicated water-energy nexus. In this perspective, a robust evaluation of existing AWHs is conducted and a detailed way to high-efficiency AWH is paved. The results suggest that using cooling-assisted adsorption will weaken the bounds of climate to sorbent selections and have the potential to improve efficiency by more than 50%. For device design, the authors deeply elucidate how to perfect heat/mass transfer to narrow the gap between lab and practices. Reducing heat loss, recovering heat and structured sorbent are the main paths to improve efficiency on the device scale, which is more significant for a large-scale AWH. Besides efficiency, the techno-economic evaluation reveals that developing a cost-effective AWH is also crucial for sustainability, which can be contributed by green synthesis routes and biomass-based sorbents. These analyses provide a uniform platform to guide the next-generation AWH to mitigate the global water crisis.

Immobilization of Lewis Basic Nitrogen Sites into a Chemically Stable Metal-Organic Framework for Benchmark Water-Sorption-Driven Heat Allocations

Developing efficient and stable water adsorbents for adsorption-driven heat transfer technology still remains a challenge due to the lack of efficient strategies to enhance low-pressure water uptakes. The authors herein demonstrate that the immobilization of Lewis basic nitrogen sites into metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can improve water uptake and target benchmark coefficient of performances (COPs) for cooling and heating. They present the water sorption properties of a chemically stable MOF (termed as Zr-adip), designed by incorporating hydrophilic nitrogen sites into the adsorbent MIP-200. Zr-adip exhibits S-shaped sorption isotherms with an extremely high water uptake of 0.43 g g-1  at 303 K and P/P0  = 0.25, higher than MIP-200 (0.39 g g-1 ), KMF-1 (0.39 g g-1 ) and MOF-303 (0.38 g g-1 ). Theoretical calculations reveal that the incorporated N sites can serve as secondary adsorption sites to moderately interact with water, providing more binding sites to strengthen the water binding affinity. Zr-adip achieves exceptionally high COPs of 0.79 (cooling) and 1.75 (heating) with a low driving temperature of 70 °C, outperforming MIP-200 (0.78 and 1.53) and KMF-1 (0.75 and 1.74). Combined with its ultrahigh stability, excellent cycling performance, and easy regeneration, Zr-adip represents one of the best water adsorbents for adsorption-driven cooling and heating.

Chemically Stable Carbazole-Based Imine Covalent Organic Frameworks with Acidochromic Response for Humidity Control Applications

Isoreticular chemically stable two-dimensional imine covalent organic frameworks (COFs), further denoted as DUT-175 and DUT-176, are obtained in a reaction of 4,4′-bis(9H-carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl tetraaldehyde with phenyldiamine and benzidine. The crystal structures, solved and refined from the powder X-ray diffraction data and confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, indicate AA-stacked layer structures. Both structures feature distorted hexagonal channel pores, assuring remarkable porosity (S_BET = 1071 m² g^–1 for DUT-175 and S_BET = 1062 m² g^–1 for DUT-176), as confirmed by adsorption of gases and vapors. The complex conjugated π system of the COFs involves electron-rich carbazole building units, which in combination with the imine groups allow reversible pH-dependent protonation of the frameworks, accompanied by charge transfer and shift of the absorption bands in the UV–vis spectrum. The sigmoidal shape of the water vapor adsorption and desorption isotherms with a steep adsorption step at p/p₀ = 0.4–0.6 in combination with excellent stability over dozens of adsorption and desorption cycles ranks these COFs among the best materials for indoor humidity control applications.

An improved water-harvesting cycle

[Figure: see text].

Molecular dynamics study of water confined in MIL-101 metal-organic frameworks

Molecular dynamics simulations of water adsorbed in Material Institute Lavoisier MIL-101(Cr) metal-organic frameworks are performed to analyze the kinetic properties of water molecules confined in the framework at 298.15 K and under different vapor pressures and clarify the water adsorption mechanism in MIL-101(Cr). The terahertz frequency-domain spectra (THz-FDS) of water are calculated by applying fast Fourier transform to the configurational data of water molecules. According to the characteristic frequencies in the THz-FDS, the dominant motions of water molecules in MIL-101(Cr) can be categorized into three types: (1) low-frequency translational motion (0-0.5 THz), (2) medium-frequency vibrational motion (2-2.5 THz), and (3) high-frequency vibrational motion (>6 THz). Each type of water motion is confirmed by visualizing the water configuration in MIL-101(Cr). The ratio of the number of water molecules with low-frequency translational motion to the total number of water molecules increases with the increase in vapor pressure. In contrast, that with medium-frequency vibrational motion is found to decrease with vapor pressure, exhibiting a pronounced decrease after water condensation has started in the cavities. That with the high-frequency vibrational motion is almost independent of the vapor pressure. The interactions between different types of water molecules affect the THz-FDS. Furthermore, the self-diffusion coefficient and the velocity auto-correlation function are calculated to clarify the adsorption state of the water confined in MIL-101(Cr). To confirm that the general trend of the THz-FDS does not depend on the water model, the simulations are performed using three water models, namely, rigid SPC/E, flexible SPC/E, and rigid TIP5PEw.

Dehumidification Effect of Polymeric Superabsorbent SAP-LiCl Composite Desiccant-Coated Heat Exchanger with Different Cyclic Switching Time

This study investigated a composite polymer desiccant material’s performance, which is prepared by impregnating solid desiccant such as sodium polyacrylate (SAP) on to hygroscopic salts such as lithium chloride (LiCl). Dehumidification performance of the proposed composite polymer desiccant (SAP-LiCl) was analyzed by coating the suitable weight percentage (wt %) of the desiccant onto a single fin-tube heat exchanger (FTHE) system and testing the desiccant-coated heat exchanger (DCHE) in a testing tunnel under various operating conditions. Net dehumidification efficacy of DCHE in terms of sorption and desorption amount and thermal performance (COPth) were analyzed. For instance, with processed air inflow temperature, relative humidity and regeneration temperature setting of 30 °C, 80% RH and 70 °C, DCHE’s sorption, desorption amount and COPth were recorded as high as 945.1 g, 1115.1 g, and 0.39, respectively. It was further realized that the performance of the DCHE could be enhanced by modulating the cyclic switching time for dehumidification and regeneration processes. For instance, with the aforementioned processed airflow conditions, when the cyclic switching time tuned as 60 min instead of 10 min for a total time period of 120 min, there is a net 58% improvement to the COPth of the system. It was further observed that, under the same time period corresponding to the increase in cyclic switching time, the overall COPth can be enhanced; however, the water vapor sorption and desorption amounts of desiccant were decreased.

Performance Analysis of Two-Stage Solid Desiccant Densely Coated Heat Exchangers

In this study, silica gel and sodium polyacrylate desiccants are coated onto a finned tube heat exchanger (Desiccant Coating Heat Exchanger, DCHE), which can absorb the vapor in the process air for dehumidification. In the experiments, the desiccant is coated on fins using the dense coating method, which causes the fixed fin area to be coated with greater amounts of desiccants for a better dehumidification performance. This study discusses the dehumidification performances of a single stage DCHE and two-stage DCHEs in series under different relative humidity conditions of the inlet process air and different regeneration water temperatures. The results show that the thermal coefficient of performance (COPth) of the DCHEs for the two desiccants prepared by the dense coating method is better than that of DCHEs with the general immersing coating method by a factor of 2–2.4. The two-stage DCHEs in series have a lower supply humidity ratio than a single stage DCHE at different inlet humidity levels, and they can be used in the industry when a special low humidity manufacturing process is required. The overall dehumidifying capacities of two-stage series-connected DCHEs at regeneration temperatures of 50 °C and 70 °C are approximately twice as high as those of a single stage DCHE. The COPth value of a single stage or two stages increases with an increase in the inlet humidity of the process air. The COPth values of the sodium polyacrylate single stage and two-stage DCHEs are 1–1.3 times greater than those of the silica gel single stage and two-stage DCHEs at a high inlet air humidity. Finally, the effects of different regeneration water temperatures on the performance of DCHEs are investigated. With an increase in the regeneration water temperature, the COPth value, dehumidifying capacity and regeneration capacity of single stage or two-stage DCHEs increase as well.

A close view of the organic linker in a MOF: structural insights from a combined 1H NMR relaxometry and computational investigation

The organic linker in a metal organic framework (MOF) affects its adsorption behavior and performance, and its structure and dynamics play a role in the modulation of the adsorption properties. In this work, the combination of ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) longitudinal relaxometry and theoretical calculations allowed details of the structure and dynamics of the organic linker in the NH₂-MIL-125 MOF to be obtained. In particular, fast field cycling (FFC) NMR, applied here for the first time on MOFs, was used to disclose the dynamics of the amino group and its electronic environment through the analysis of the ¹⁴N quadrupole relaxation peaks, observed in the frequency interval 0.5-5 MHz, at different temperatures from 25 to 110 °C. The line width of the peaks allowed a lower boundary on the rotational correlation time of the N-H bonds to be set, whereas relevant changes in the amplitudes were interpreted in terms of a change in the orientation of the ¹⁴N averaged electric field gradient tensor. The experimental findings were complemented by quantum chemistry calculations and classical molecular dynamics simulations.

Evaluation of Metal–Organic Frameworks as Potential Adsorbents for Solar Cooling Applications

The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions has become a need of the day to overcome different environmental issues and challenges. The use of alternative and renewable-based technologies is one of the options to achieve the target of sustainable development through the reduction of these harmful emissions. Among different technologies thermally activated cooling systems are one which can reduce the harmful emissions caused by conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology. Thermal cooling systems utilize different porous materials and work on a reversible adsorption/desorption cycle. Different advancements have been made for this technology but still a lot of work should be done to replace conventional systems with this newly developed technology. High adsorption capacity and lower input heat are two major requirements for efficient thermally driven cooling technologies. In this regard, it is a need of the day to develop novel adsorbents with high sorption capacity and low regeneration temperature. Due to tunable topologies and a highly porous nature, the hybrid porous crystalline materials known as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a great inspiration for thermally driven adsorption-based cooling applications. Keeping all the above-mentioned aspects in mind, this paper presents a comprehensive overview of the potential use of MOFs as adsorbent material for adsorption and desiccant cooling technologies. A detailed overview of MOFs, their structure, and their stability are presented. This review will be helpful for the research community to have updated research progress in MOFs and their potential use for adsorption-based cooling systems.

New Adsorption Method for Moisture and Heat Exchange in Ventilation Systems in Cold Countries: Concept and Mathematical Simulation

Due to global climate change and fossil fuel depletion, the rational use of thermal energy has attracted great research interest. Large differences between indoor and outdoor temperatures in cold regions results in huge amounts of heat waste and drop in indoor humidity. Ventireg, an adsorption method, has been often recommended for heat and humidity regeneration in cold countries. In this research work, VentireC, an advanced method employing two thermally coupled adsorbent beds is discussed. It allows the heat released during adsorption of moisture in one adsorber to be transferred to another adsorber to facilitate water desorption. The VentireC approach is comprehensively analysed and described in this paper. A composite adsorbent based on LiCl in silica gel pores, which can exchange up to 0.5 g-H2O/g-sorbent, is selected for VentireC processes under cold Western Siberia conditions. Mathematical simulation of humidity recuperation, employing the selected sorbent with and without thermal coupling, demonstrates the advantages of the VentireC process.

Green synthesis of a large series of bimetallic MIL-100(Fe,M) MOFs

Here we present a scalable and green methodology to synthesize a large variety of MIL-100(Fe,M), metal-doped iron-based MOFs with high thermal stability and surface areas.

Probing the limits of linker substitution in aluminum MOFs through water vapor sorption studies: mixed-MOFs instead of mixed-linker CAU-23 and MIL-160 materials

Only water vapor sorption isotherms were able to reveal the mixed-MOF instead of mixed-linker material formation of CAU-23 and MIL-160.

Water Vapor Adsorption-Desorption Behavior of Surfactant-Coated Starch Particles for Commercial Energy Wheels

This study reports on the adsorption (dehumidification)-desorption (humidification) behavior of cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) coated starch particles (SPs), denoted as SP-CPB, as a potential desiccant material for air-to-air energy exchangers. CPB is a cationic surfactant with antibacterial activity that can be used to modify the surface properties of SPs, especially at variable CPB loading levels (SP-CPB0.5, SP-CPB2.5, and SP-CPB5.0, where the numeric suffix represents the synthetic loading level of CPB in mM). The SP-CPB0.5 sample displayed optimal surface area and pore structure properties that was selected for water sorption isotherm studies at 25 °C. The CPB-coated SPs sample (SP-CPB0.5) showed an improved water vapor uptake capacity compared to unmodified starch (SPs) and other desiccant systems such as high amylose starch (HAS₁₅) and silica gel (SG₁₃). Single-step and cyclic water vapor sorption tests were conducted using a small-scale exchanger coated with SP-CPB0.5. The calculated latent effectiveness values obtained from direct measurements using cyclic tests (65.4 ± 2%) agree closely with the estimated latent effectiveness from single-step tests (64.6 ± 2%) at controlled operating conditions. Compared to HAS₁₅- and SG₁₃-coated exchangers, the SP-CPB0.5-coated exchanger performed much better at controlled operating conditions, along with improved longevity due to the CPB surface coating. The presence of CPB did not attenuate the uptake properties of native SPs. Latent effectiveness of SP-CPB0.5-coated exchanger was enhanced (5-30% higher) over that of the SG₁₃- or HAS₁₅-coated exchangers, according to the wheel angular speed. This study reports on a novel and sustainable SP-CPB0.5 material as a promising desiccant coating with tunable uptake and surface properties with potential utility in air-to-air energy exchangers for ventilation systems.

Record-Setting Sorbents for Reversible Water Uptake by Systematic Anion Exchanges in Metal-Organic Frameworks

The reversible capture of water vapor at low humidity can enable transformative applications such as atmospheric water harvesting and heat transfer that uses water as a refrigerant, replacing environmentally detrimental hydro- and chloro-fluorocarbons. The driving force for these applications is governed by the relative humidity at which the pores of a porous material fill with water. Here, we demonstrate modulation of the onset of pore-filling in a family of metal-organic frameworks with record water sorption capacities by employing anion exchange. Unexpectedly, the replacement of the structural bridging Cl- with the more hydrophilic anions F- and OH- does not induce pore-filling at lower relative humidity, whereas the introduction of the larger Br- results in a substantial shift toward lower relative humidity. We rationalize these results in terms of pore size modifications as well as the water hydrogen bonding structure based on detailed infrared spectroscopic measurements. Fundamentally, our data suggest that, in the presence of strong nucleation sites, the thermodynamic favorability of water pore-filling depends more strongly on the pore diameter and the interface between water in the center of the pore and water bound to the pore walls than the hydrophilicity of the pore wall itself. On the basis of these results, we report two materials that exhibit record water uptake capacities in their respective humidity regions and extended stability over 400 water adsorption-desorption cycles.

Insight into Fluorocarbon Adsorption in Metal-Organic Frameworks via Experiments and Molecular Simulations

The improvement in adsorption/desorption of hydrofluorocarbons has implications for many heat transformation applications such as cooling, refrigeration, heat pumps, power generation, etc. The lack of chlorine in hydrofluorocarbons minimizes the lasting environmental damage to the ozone, with R134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane) being used as the primary industrial alternative to commonly used Freon-12. The efficacy of novel adsorbents used in conjunction with R134a requires a deeper understanding of the host-guest chemical interaction. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a newer class of adsorbent materials with significant industrial potential given their high surface area, porosity, stability, and tunability. In this work, we studied two benchmark MOFs, a microporous Ni-MOF-74 and mesoporous Cr-MIL-101. We employed a combined experimental and simulation approach to study the adsorption of R134a to better understand host-guest interactions using equilibrium isotherms, enthalpy of adsorption, Henry’s coefficients, and radial distribution functions. The overall uptake was shown to be exceptionally high for Cr-MIL-101, >140 wt% near saturation while >50 wt% at very low partial pressures. For both MOFs, simulation data suggest that metal sites provide preferable adsorption sites for fluorocarbon based on favorable C-F ··· M⁺ interactions between negatively charged fluorine atoms of R134a and positively charged metal atoms of the MOF framework.

A metal-organic framework for efficient water-based ultra-low-temperature-driven cooling

Efficient use of energy for cooling applications is a very important and challenging field in science. Ultra-low temperature actuated (Tdriving < 80 °C) adsorption-driven chillers (ADCs) with water as the cooling agent are one environmentally benign option. The nanoscale metal-organic framework [Al(OH)(C6H2O4S)] denoted CAU-23 was discovered that possess favorable properties, including water adsorption capacity of 0.37 gH2O/gsorbent around p/p0 = 0.3 and cycling stability of at least 5000 cycles. Most importantly the material has a driving temperature down to 60 °C, which allows for the exploitation of yet mostly unused temperature sources and a more efficient use of energy. These exceptional properties are due to its unique crystal structure, which was unequivocally elucidated by single crystal electron diffraction. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to reveal the water adsorption mechanism at the atomic level. With its green synthesis, CAU-23 is an ideal material to realize ultra-low temperature driven ADC devices.

A Critical Review of Solid Materials for Low-Temperature Thermochemical Storage of Solar Energy Based on Solid-Vapour Adsorption in View of Space Heating Uses

The present report deals with low-temperature thermochemical storage for space heating, which is based on the principles of vapour adsorption onto solid adsorbents. With the aim of obtaining comprehensive information on the rationalized selection of adsorbents for heat storage in open sorption systems operating in the moist-air flow mode, various materials reported up to now in the literature are reviewed by referring strictly to the possible mechanisms of water vapour adsorption, as well as practical aspects of their preparation or their application under particular operating conditions. It seems reasonable to suggest that, on the basis of the current state-of-the-art, the adsorption phenomenon may be rather exploited in the auxiliary heating systems, which provide additional heat during winter's coldest days.

Revisiting the water sorption isotherm of MOF using electrical measurements

Adsorption/desorption isotherms of Cr-soc-MOF-1.

Nanoporous MIL-101(Cr) as a sensing layer coated on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) nanosensor to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

The application of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as a sensing layer has been attracting great interest over the last decade, due to their high porosity and tunability, which provides a large surface area and active sites for trapping or binding target molecules. MIL-101(Cr) is selected as a good candidate from the MOFs family to fabricate a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) nanosensor for the detection of volatile organic compound (VOC) vapors. The structural and chemical properties of synthesized MIL-101(Cr) are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transfer infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and so on. A stable and uniform layer of MOF is coated onto the surface of a QCM sensor by the drop casting method. The frequency of the QCM crystal is changed during exposure to different concentrations of target gas molecules. Here, the sensor response to some VOCs with different functional groups and polarities, such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-hexane, acetone, dichloromethane, chloroform, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and pyridine under N₂ atmosphere at ambient conditions is studied. Sensing properties such as sensitivity, reversibility, stability, response time, recovery time, and limit of detection (LOD) of the sensor are investigated. The best sensor response is observed for pyridine detection with sensitivity of 2.793 Hz ppm⁻¹. The sensor shows short response/recovery time (less than two minutes), complete reversibility and repeatability which are attributed to the physisorption of the gases into the MOF pores and high stability of the device.

Metal–organic frameworks can be used as sensing layer in QCM fabrication because of their huge surface area.