TY - JOUR TI - Design and synthesis of microporous metal-organic frameworks for adsorption related applications DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3M90D33 PY - 2018 AB - Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), constructed via self-assembly of metal ions (or clusters) and organic ligands through coordination bonds, represent a relatively new family of multifunctional porous materials. MOFs feature high porosity, tunable pore structure (pore size and pore shape) and functionality, making them hold great promise for adsorption related applications. Utilizing MOFs for industrially relevant adsorption related applications are explored. With the strategy of topology directed design and synthesis, a series of Zr-MOFs with intriguing structure features have been achieved. They exhibit high porosity, good stability and optimal pore structure for separation of alkane isomers. Their ability of separating C6 alkane isomers, which is industrially critical for octane number upgrading of gasoline, outperforms the commercially used material zeolite 5A. iii The feasibility of utilizing MOFs for adsorptive separation of noble gases has also been studied. After screening of a number of MOFs, a microporous MOF built on Co2+ and formate has been identified to show highly selective adsorption of Xe over Kr. In a separate work, we try to understand the interaction between noble gases and a flexible MOF structure from molecular level via single crystal X-ray diffraction. Noticeably, the framework exhibits an unprecedented temperature-dependent breathing phenomenon upon noble gas adsorption. We have also evaluated the possibility of using MOFs in food chemistry. A moisture-sensitive MOF has been synthesized, which exhibits high uptake capacity and moisture-triggered controlled release of a natural food preservative. The mechanism of controlled release has also been investigated. Other adsorption related applications such as chlorocarbon capture by highly hydrophobic MOFs have also been explored. KW - Chemistry and Chemical Biology KW - Organometallic chemistry KW - Adsorption LA - eng ER -