Solvent-Induced In(III)-MOFs with Controllable Interpenetration Degree Performing High-Efficiency Separation of...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer tunable porosity for gas adsorption and separation.
• Controlling the degree of interpenetration (DOI) in MOFs is crucial for optimizing their performance.
• Efficient CO2 capture and separation technologies are vital for environmental remediation and resource management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize three novel In-MOFs with varying degrees of interpenetration.
• To investigate the gas separation performance of these In-MOFs for CO2/N2, CO2/CH4, and CO2/CH4/N2 mixtures.
• To evaluate the potential of In-MOF-2 as a robust material for selective CO2 capture and natural gas purification.

Main Methods:

• Ionothermal/solvothermal synthesis of In-MOFs using In3+ and H3TATB ligands.
• Systematic investigation of gas separation efficiency using various gas mixtures (CO2/N2, CO2/CH4, CO2/CH4/N2).
• Analysis of CO2 uptake capacities, adsorption enthalpy, and selectivity at 298 K and 1 bar.

Main Results:

• Three In-MOFs (In-MOF-1, In-MOF-2, In-MOF-3) with different DOIs were successfully synthesized.
• In-MOF-2 exhibited the highest CO2 uptake and a low adsorption enthalpy (26.4 kJ/mol), indicating efficient regeneration.
• In-MOF-2 achieved a CO2/N2 selectivity of 37.6, demonstrating excellent performance in flue gas separation and natural gas purification.

Conclusions:

• In-MOF-2, with its moderate DOI and pore size, is a highly effective material for selective CO2 capture.
• The material shows exceptional stability and reproducibility, making it a versatile platform for gas separation applications.
• The aperture adjustment capability of In-MOF-2 enhances its utility in both flue gas treatment and natural gas purification.