Metal-organic frameworks with enhanced CO₂ capture ability

Reducing the anthropogenic emission of CO₂ has recently become an all-around concern. Among several options, CO₂ capture is a well-accepted solution. A variety of technologies/methods of CO2 capture have been developed, however the separation of CO₂ from gas streams is still the biggest issue. In addition to various techniques, the exploration of capture materials with high separation ability and low cost are of paramount importance. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of porous materials comprised of ordered networks formed by organic linkers bridging inorganic nodes are promising in CO₂ capture. Herein we present an exploration of series of ionic MOFs with high porosity and tailored pore surface for enhanced CO₂ separation performance. Synthesis, structural characterizations, and CO₂ selective adsorption and separation of these MOFs have been performed. The high CO₂ separation ability was evaluated by both experimental measurements and molecular simulations.