Microporous water with high gas solubilities.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Liquids with permanent microporosity offer enhanced gas absorption compared to conventional solvents.
• Existing methods for creating porous liquids are often incompatible with water.
• There is a need for water-compatible porous liquids for gas storage, transport, and reactivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a generalizable thermodynamic strategy for creating permanent microporosity in liquid water.
• To impart high gas solubilities to aqueous solutions.
• To explore the potential of these new materials for physiological gas transport.

Main Methods:

• Tailoring the surface chemistry of zeolite and metal-organic framework (MOF) nanocrystals.
• Promoting stable dispersions of functionalized nanocrystals in water.
• Maintaining accessible, dry micropore networks within the aqueous medium.

Main Results:

• Successfully created aqueous fluids with permanent microporosity.
• Achieved significantly higher concentrations of gases (e.g., oxygen, carbon dioxide) than conventional aqueous environments.
• Demonstrated record-high oxygen delivery capacities to hypoxic red blood cells.

Conclusions:

• A novel thermodynamic strategy enables the creation of stable, porous liquid water.
• These engineered fluids exhibit exceptional gas-binding capabilities.
• Potential applications include advanced gas storage, delivery systems, and therapeutic interventions for conditions like hypoxia.