In just a couple of decades, chemists have progressed from studying the structure of Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) to establishing a robust understanding of how to develop MOFs for highly specialized applications. Assembled from single or clustered metal ions and a wide range of organic struts, linkers, or ligands, MOFs are prized for their periodic, controllable, nano-scaled structure and significant specific surface area. These characteristics lead to diverse applications in fields ranging from gas storage – H2 for energy storage, for example, or CO2 sequestration – catalysis, and drug delivery to environmental applications such as filtration, marine oil-spillage or radioactive waste disposal. MOFs have the potential to have played a major role in addressing pressing societal issues over the coming years.
The value of MOFs lies in their ability to precisely control the movement of one molecule relative to another (separation and catalysis) and their capacity to retain specific molecules (adsorption and storage). These abilities stem directly from the internal structure of the MOF making a detailed, precise analysis of this structure essential, for the development of materials for defined applications, and for QC. Micromeritics is leading the way in shaping analytical techniques for the characterization of MOFs, offering solutions for:
- Quantifying porosity including robust techniques for micropore analysis
- High and low-pressure adsorption testing
- Measuring the rate and heat of adsorption
- Determining surface area
- Chemisorption testing
- Selective gas adsorption testing with industrially representative multicomponent gas and vapor mixtures
These systems have the chemical resistance required for testing a wide range of gases and vapors and allow researchers to reliably determine:
- How to control synthesis methods to repeatably and efficiently produce materials with defined structure - surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution.
- Adsorption and separation behavior under industrially relevant conditions, to assess performance with respect to specific gases such as NO, H2S, and SO2 and volatile organic compounds, (VOCs), and to quantify gas affinities.
- The strength of surface/molecular interactions to tailor functionality such as hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity, and to improve catalytic activity.
To watch Micromeritics' webinars on MOF, please see follow this link: https://www.micromeritics.com/gas-sorption-characterization-of-metal-organic-frameworks-webinar/
Characterizing MOFs
First synthesized around the turn of the century, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline solids made up of single or clustered metal ions connected by organic struts or linkers.
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Surface Area Instruments
Surface area and porosity are physical properties that impact the quality and character of solid phase materials.
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