Electro-shock treatment switches MOF on to gas separation

By Katrina Krämer2017-10-25T12:29:00

SEM image of the crystal at 20 kV between segments of copper adhesive tape. The scale bar and the giant ZIF-8 crystal are 200 mm

Source: University of Hannover

Electric field stops molecular wriggling and boosts natural gas separation in porous crystal

Zapping a porous crystal with electricity stops its molecular quivering and switches on its gas sieving ability, researchers from Germany have discovered.¹Theoretically, engineering MOFs with particular pore sizes makes them ideal for separating gases. In practice, however, MOFs are too flexible for precise sieving. The crystals ‘breathe’ as their molecules wriggle around due to thermal energy, which leads to their pores constantly changing size.