Home >
News > Highly rapid mechanochemical synthesis of a pillar-layer metal-organic framework for efficient CH4/N2 separation
Highly rapid mechanochemical synthesis of a pillar-layer metal-organic framework for efficient CH4/N2 separation
Summary:
The authors from South China University of Technology and Guangzhou University developed a zinc-based pillar-layer metal-organic framework (MOF) with high CH4/N2 selectivity, achieving significant results in the application of gas separation.
Background:
1. To address the challenge of efficiently capturing methane (CH4) from nitrogen (N2) by adsorption separation, previous researchers explored various porous materials like zeolites and activated carbons, achieving some success, yet these materials suffered from poor separation efficiency and limitations in structural tunability.
2. The authors in this work proposed an innovative solvent-free mechanochemical synthesis method for a zinc-based pillar-layer MOF, obtaining high CH4/N2 selectivity and efficient separation performance.
Research Content:
1. Synthesis:
The authors synthesized the MOF using the mechanochemical method with Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O, 5-aip, and bpy as precursors, grinding the mixture at a fixed frequency of 40 Hz for different times.
2. Characterizations:
1) BET results showed that the optimal product (1–4) had a CO2 adsorption capacity of 1.46 mmol/g at 298 K;
2) SEM tests revealed the lamellate morphology of the material with a thickness decreasing from 0.2 to 0.05 μm as grinding time increased;
3) Other tests like FTIR and PXRD confirmed the successful synthesis and structural integrity of the MOF.
3. Application:
The material was tested in CH4/N2 separation, achieving a CH4 uptake of 1.10 mmol/g and a high CH4/N2 selectivity of 7.0 at 298 K and 5.0 bar.
4. Mechanism:
The analysis of experimental results and molecular simulations indicated that the high selectivity was mainly due to the difference in affinity interactions between the pore walls and CH4 or N2 molecules. The framework preferentially adsorbed two CH4 molecules in each pore, while most pores could only adsorb one N2 molecule.
Outlook:
This research achieved an unprecedentedly rapid and green synthesis of the MOF for efficient CH4/N2 separation, highlighting its potential for large-scale production and practical application in gas separation.
Highly rapid mechanochemical synthesis of a pillar-layer metal-organic framework for efficient CH4/N2 separation
Authors: Yongwei Chen, Houxiao Wu, Yinuo Yuan, Daofei Lv, Zhiwei Qiao, Dongli An, Xuanjun Wu, Hong Liang, Zhong Li, Qibin Xia
DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2019.123836
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1385894719332516
The above review is for academic progress sharing. For any errors or copyright issues, please contact us for correction or removal.
