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Understanding the adsorption and diffusional dynamics of CO

Magnesium borohydride ammonia borane, Mg(BH4)2(NH3BH3)2, was electrochemically investigated. Impedance measurements of the mechanochemically synthesized Mg(BH4)2(NH3BH3)2 exhibited an ionic conduct...

The application of high-resolution NMR analysis for CO2 adsorbed in a MOF under high pressure is reported for the first time. The results showed that CO2 adsorbed in MOF-74 had an unusually slow mobility (τ ∼ 10-8 s). CO2-CO2 interactions suppressed the mobility of CO2 under high pressure, which, in turn, would have contributed to the stability of CO2 at the adsorption sites.

We describe the preparation of the crystalline and glassy state of a coordination polymer displaying proton conduction and guest-accessible porosity. EXAFS and solid-state NMR analyses indicated that pyrophosphate and phosphate ions are the main proton transporters in the glass and that homogeneously distributed 5-chloro-1H-benzimidazole in the glass provides the porosity.

Design to store gas molecules, such as CO2 , H2 , and CH4 , under low pressure is one of the most important challenges in chemistry and materials science. Herein, we describe the storage of CO2 in the cavities of a porous coordination polymer (PCP) using molecular rotor dynamics. Owing to the narrow pore windows of PCP, CO2 was not adsorbed at 195 K. As the temperature increased, the rotors exhibited rotational modes; such rotations dynamically expanded the size of the windows, leading to CO2 adsorption. The rotational frequencies of the rotors (k≈10-6 s) and correlation times of adsorbed CO2 (τ≈10-8 s) were elucidated via solid-state NMR studies, which suggest that the slow rotation of the rotors sterically restricts CO2 diffusion in the pores. This restriction results in an unusually slow CO2 mobility close to solid state (τ≥10-8 s). Once adsorbed at room temperature, CO2 is robustly stored in the PCP under vacuum at 195-233 K because of the steric hindrance of the rotors. We also demonstrate that this mechanism can be applied to the storage of CH4 .

We describe the encapsulation of mobile proton carriers into defect sites in nonporous coordination polymers (CPs). The proton carriers were encapsulated with high mobility and provided high proton conductivity at 150 °C under anhydrous conditions. The high proton conductivity and nonporous nature of the CP allowed its application as an electrolyte in a fuel cell. The defects and mobile proton carriers were investigated using solid-state NMR, XAFS, XRD, and ICP-AES/EA. On the basis of these analyses, we concluded that the defect sites provide space for mobile uncoordinated H3PO4, H2PO4(-), and H2O. These mobile carriers play a key role in expanding the proton-hopping path and promoting the mobility of protons in the coordination framework, leading to high proton conductivity and fuel cell power generation.

We demonstrated a new method of synthesizing crystalline organic cation conductors. The conductivities of various organic cations involved in a one-dimensional zinc sulfate framework were studied. The optimized structure (EMIm)2[Zn(SO4)2] exhibited an ionic conductivity of 3.8 × 10–3 S cm–1 at 210 °C, which is comparable to that of highly conductive organic ionic plastic crystals. The high ionic conductivity is attributable to the defect structures of the organic cations in the inorganic frameworks. The pulsed-field gradient solid-state NMR technique revealed that the self-diffusion coefficient of organic cations in the zinc sulfate at 80 °C is comparable to that of the popular ionic liquid EMIm-BF4 at 30 °C, which indicates that liquid-like fast transporting of organic cation is achieved in the robust crystal structure.

An amorphous and metastable precursor for a Zn two-dimensional coordination framework was synthesised via freeze drying. The precursor comprises randomly packed discrete clusters of a Zn complex. The amorphous-to-crystalline framework transformation, which was triggered by the gentle application of heat or pressure, was accompanied by a change in the coordination geometry of the Zn(2+) ions from tetrahedral to octahedral symmetry.

Design to store gas molecules, such as CO

Rational design to control the dynamics of molecular rotors in crystalline solids is of interest because it offers advanced materials with precisely tuned functionality. Herein, we describe the control of the rotational frequency of rotors in flexible porous coordination polymers (PCPs) using a solid-solution approach. Solid-solutions of the flexible PCPs [{Zn(5-nitroisophthalate)x(5-methoxyisophthalate)1-x(deuterated 4,4'-bipyridyl)}(DMF·MeOH)]n allow continuous modulation of cell volume by changing the solid-solution ratio x. Variation of the isostructures provides continuous changes in the local environment around the molecular rotors (pyridyl rings of the 4,4'-bipyridyl group), leading to the control of the rotational frequency without the need to vary the temperature.

The solid-to-liquid phase transition, a fundamental process commonly observed for various types of substances with significant potential for application, has been given little attention in the field of coordination polymers (CPs) despite the rich functionality of these compounds. In this article, we report the reversible solid-to-liquid phase transition of crystalline CPs. These CPs are composed of zinc ions, phosphate, and azoles, and a well-balanced composition, ionicity, and bond strength afford "melting" CPs. We examined the structure of one such melting framework in the liquid and glass states and found that the coordination bonds are not fully preserved in the liquid state but are re-formed in the glass state. As a demonstration, we fabricated, via phase transition, a thin film with an aligned crystal orientation and a monolith crystal of the CP.

Porous Mg(2-methyl imidazolate)2 (Mg-ZIF-8) was synthesised from Mg(BH4)2 as a precursor under an Ar atmosphere. It possesses an uncommon tetrahedral Mg2+–N coordination geometry that is stabilised by the formation of a framework, and it exhibits a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area greater than 1800 m2 g−1.

Zn-based two-dimensional layer coordination framework was synthesized by ionothermal synthesis and its solid-to-solid phase transition was studied by X-ray diffraction, solid state nuclear magnetic resonance and impedance spectroscopy. The phase transition is originated from the order-to-disorder behavior of accommodated ammonium cations in the structure. It occurs rapidly and reversibly, and little volume change and high thermal stability were observed.

Two new isomorphous three-dimensional porous coordination polymers, {[Cd(bpe)0.5(bdc)(H2O)]·EtOH}n (1) and {[Cd(bpe)0.5(bdc)(H2O)]·2H2O}n (2) [bpe = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane, and H2bdc = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid], have been synthesized by altering the solvent media. Both structures contain one-dimensional channels filled with metal-bound water and guest solvent molecules, and desolvated frameworks show significant changes in structure. However, exposure to the solvent vapors (water and methanol) reverts the structure back to the as-synthesized structure, and thus, the reversible flexible nature of the structure was elucidated. The flexibility and permanent porosity were further reinforced from the CO2 adsorption profiles (195 and 273 K) that show stepwise uptake. Moreover, a high selectivity for O2 over N2 at 77 K was realized. The framework exhibits interesting solvent vapor adsorption behavior with dynamic structural transformation depending upon the size, polarity, and coordination ability of the solvent molecules. Further investigation was conducted by solid state (113)Cd nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy that unambiguously advocates the reversible transformation "pentagonal-bipyramidal CdO6N → octahedral CdO5N" geometry in the desolvated state. For the first time, (113)Cd NMR has been used as a probe of structural flexibility in a porous coordination polymer system.

The establishment of methodologies for the mixing of immiscible substances is highly desirable to facilitate the development of fundamental science and materials technology. Herein we describe a new protocol for the compatibilization of immiscible polymers at the molecular level using porous coordination polymers (PCPs) as removable templates. In this process, the typical immiscible polymer pair of polystyrene (PSt) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was prepared via the successive homopolymerizations of their monomers in a PCP to distribute the polymers inside the PCP particles. Subsequent dissolution of the PCP frameworks in a chelator solution affords a PSt/PMMA blend that is homogeneous in the range of several nanometers. Due to the unusual compatibilization, the thermal properties of the polymer blend are remarkably improved compared with the conventional solvent-cast blend. This method is also applicable to the compatibilization of PSt and polyacrylonitrile, which have very different solubility parameters., The intimate mixing of immiscible polymers is desirable both to aid understanding of the fundamental science and for the development of new materials. Here, the authors successfully compatibilize polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) using a porous coordination polymer as a removable template.