Thermodynamic exploration of xenon/krypton separation based on a high-throughput screening

Nanoporous framework materials are a promising class of materials for energy-efficient technology of xenon/krypton separation by physisorption. Many studies on Xe/Kr separation by adsorption have focused on the determination of structure/property relationships, the description of theoretical limits of performance, and the identification of top-performing materials. Here, we provide a study based on a high-throughput screening of the adsorption of Xe, Kr, and Xe/Kr mixtures in 12 020 experimental MOF materials, to provide a better comprehension of the thermodynamics behind Xe/Kr separation in nanoporous materials and the microscopic origins of Xe/Kr selectivity at both low and ambient pressure.

Iron molybdenum nitrilotriacetate and iminodiacetate – spectroscopy, structural characterization and CO2 adsorption

The tetranuclear iron molybdate Na₆[(MoO₂)₂O₂Fe₂(nta)₄]·16H₂O (1) and its isomorphous complexes form 2D water layer structures in a modular manner, and a decanuclear heterometallic polymer, [(MoO₄)₂FeII4FeIII4(ida)₈]_n (2), contains an interesting cubic 3D microporous structure with a 3.3 Å diameter hole and can adsorb a small amount of CO₂.

The Influence of Intrinsic Framework Flexibility on Adsorption in Nanoporous Materials

For applications of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) such as gas storage and separation, flexibility is often seen as a parameter that can tune material performance. In this work we aim to determine the optimal flexibility for the shape selective separation of similarly sized molecules (e.g., Xe/Kr mixtures). To obtain systematic insight into how the flexibility impacts this type of separation, we develop a simple analytical model that predicts a material’s Henry regime adsorption and selectivity as a function of flexibility. We elucidate the complex dependence of selectivity on a framework’s intrinsic flexibility whereby performance is either improved or reduced with increasing flexibility, depending on the material’s pore size characteristics. However, the selectivity of a material with the pore size and chemistry that already maximizes selectivity in the rigid approximation is continuously diminished with increasing flexibility, demonstrating that the globally optimal separation exists within an entirely rigid pore. Molecular simulations show that our simple model predicts performance trends that are observed when screening the adsorption behavior of flexible MOFs. These flexible simulations provide better agreement with experimental adsorption data in a high-performance material that is not captured when modeling this framework as rigid, an approximation typically made in high-throughput screening studies. We conclude that, for shape selective adsorption applications, the globally optimal material will have the optimal pore size/chemistry and minimal intrinsic flexibility even though other nonoptimal materials’ selectivity can actually be improved by flexibility. Equally important, we find that flexible simulations can be critical for correctly modeling adsorption in these types of systems.

Mononuclear and polynuclear complexes ligated by an iminodiacetic acid derivative: synthesis, structure, solution studies and magnetic properties

Two novel families of coordination polymers, [Ln(bzlida)(Hbzlida)]·H₂O (Ln = La, Nd) and [Ln₂(bzlida)₃]·3H₂O (Ln = Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd) were prepared by hydrothermal reaction of Ln₂O₃ with benzyliminodiacetic acid.

Ionothermal synthesis, crystal structure, topology and catalytic properties of heterometallic coordination polymers constructed from N-(phosphonomethyl) iminodiacetic acid

Four FeLn heterometallic coordination polymers with the H₄pmida ligand were ionothermally synthesized and characterized. Their catalytic properties in the Knöevenagel condensation reaction were investigated.