Functional flexible adsorbents and their potential utility

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Crystal Engineering

Background:

• Rigid physisorbents are well-studied for CO2 capture, water scarcity, and gas storage/separation.
• Flexible physisorbents, which transform structure upon guest exposure, have been historically overlooked.
• Recent advances highlight the potential of flexible adsorbents to rival rigid materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review progress in the crystal engineering of flexible physisorbents.
• To address misconceptions regarding the utility and performance of flexible adsorbents.
• To highlight applications in natural gas storage, water harvesting, and hydrocarbon separations.

Main Methods:

• Crystal engineering for the design and control of flexible adsorbent structures.
• Performance evaluation for gas storage and separation applications.
• Comparative analysis of flexible versus rigid physisorbent performance.

Main Results:

• Flexible adsorbents can exhibit improved working capacity and heat management for gas storage via guest-induced phase transformations.
• Flexible adsorbents demonstrate high selectivity and performance in hydrocarbon separations through induced-fit binding.
• Flexible adsorbents show promise in competing with rigid materials for various storage and separation challenges.

Conclusions:

• Flexible physisorbents represent a promising class of materials for addressing global challenges.
• Crystal engineering is key to unlocking the full potential of flexible adsorbents.
• Further research into flexible adsorbents will drive innovation in energy and environmental applications.