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High silica zeolite ZK‐5 (framework Si/Al=4.8) has been prepared by interzeolite conversion from ultrastable zeolite Y via a co‐templating route using alkali metal cations and nitrate anions but without organic structure directing agents. The mechanism, which involves zeolite framework – alkali metal cation – nitrate anion ordering, has been established by a combination of chemical and thermal analyses, Raman spectroscopy, computational modelling, and X‐ray powder diffraction. Ammonium exchange gives ZK‐5 with occluded ammonium nitrate and subsequent heating gives microporous zeolite ZK‐5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexibility of the zeolite Rho framework offers great potential for tunable molecular sieving. The fully copper‐exchanged form of Rho and mixed Cu,H‐ and Cu,Na‐forms have been prepared. EPR spectroscopy reveals that Cu2+ ions are present in the dehydrated forms and Rietveld refinement shows these prefer S6R sites, away from the d8r windows that control diffusion. Fully exchanged Cu‐Rho remains in an open form upon dehydration, the d8r windows remain nearly circular and the occupancy of window sites is low, so that it adsorbs CO2 rapidly at room temperature. Breakthrough tests with 10 % CO2/40 % CH4 mixtures show that Cu4.9‐Rho is able to produce pure methane, albeit with a relatively low capacity at this pCO2 due to the weak interaction of CO2 with Cu cations. This is in strong contrast to Na‐Rho, where cations in narrow elliptical window sites enable CO2 to be adsorbed with high selectivity and uptake but too slowly to enable the production of pure methane in similar breakthrough experiments. A series of Cu,Na‐Rho materials was prepared to improve uptake and selectivity compared to Cu‐Rho, and kinetics compared to Na‐Rho. Remarkably, Cu,Na‐Rho with >2 Cu cations per unit cell exhibited exsolution, due to the preference of Na cations for narrow S8R sites in distorted Rho and of Cu cations for S6R sites in the centric, open form of Rho. The exsolved Cu,Na‐Rho showed improved performance in CO2/CH4 breakthrough tests, producing pure CH4 with improved uptake and CO2/CH4 selectivity compared to that of Cu4.9‐Rho. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An AlPO4 zeotype has been prepared using the aromatic diamine 1,10‐phenanthroline and some of its methylated analogues as templates. In each case the two template N atoms bind to a specific framework Al site to expand its coordination to the unusual octahedral AlO4N2 environment. Furthermore, using this framework‐bound template, Fe atoms can be included selectively at this site in the framework by direct synthesis, as confirmed by annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy and Rietveld refinement. Calcination removes the organic molecules to give large pore framework solids, with BET surface areas up to 540 m2 g−1 and two perpendicular sets of channels that intersect to give pore space connected by 12‐ring openings along all crystallographic directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An AlPO4 zeotype has been prepared using the aromatic diamine 1,10‐phenanthroline and some of its methylated analogues as templates. In each case the two template N atoms bind to a specific framework Al site to expand its coordination to the unusual octahedral AlO4N2 environment. Furthermore, using this framework‐bound template, Fe atoms can be included selectively at this site in the framework by direct synthesis, as confirmed by annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy and Rietveld refinement. Calcination removes the organic molecules to give large pore framework solids, with BET surface areas up to 540 m2 g−1 and two perpendicular sets of channels that intersect to give pore space connected by 12‐ring openings along all crystallographic directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption of CO2andCH4has been measuredon the Na-, K-, and Cs-forms of zeolite Rho (0–9 bar; 283–333K). Although CH4is excluded, CO2is readilytaken up, although the uptake at low pressures decreases strongly,in the order Na+> K+> Cs+. Structuralstudies by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) suggest that cations inintercage window sites block CH4adsorption; however, inthe presence of CO2, the cations can move enough to permitadsorption (several angstroms). Determination of time-averaged cationpositions during CO2adsorption at 298 K by Rietveld refinementagainst PXRD data shows that (i) in Na-Rho, there is a small relaxationof Na+cations within single eight-ring (S8R) sites, (ii)in Cs-Rho, D8R cations move to S8R sites (remaining within windows)and two phases of Cs-Rho (I4̅3m, Im3̅m) are present overa wide pressure range, and (iii) in K-Rho, there is relocation ofsome K+cations from window sites to cage sites and twophases coexist, each with I4̅3msymmetry, over the pressure range of 0–1 bar. The final cationdistributions at high PCO2aresimilar for Na-, K-, and Cs-Rho, and adsorption in each case is onlypossible by “trapdoor”-type cation gating. Complementarystudies on K-chabazite (Si/Al = 3) also show changes in time-averagedcation location during CO2adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of univalent cation forms of zeolite Rho (M9.8Al9.8Si38.2O96, M = H, Li, Na, K, NH4, Cs) and ultrastabilized zeolite Rho (US-Rho) have been prepared. Their CO2 adsorption behavior has been measured at 298 K and up to 1 bar and related to the structures of the dehydrated forms determined by Rietveld refinement and, for H-Rho and US-Rho, by solid state NMR. Additionally, CO2 adsorption properties of the H-form of the silicoalumino-phosphate with the RHO topology and univalent cation forms of the zeolite ZK-5 were measured for comparison. The highest uptakes at 0.1 bar, 298 K for both Rho and ZK-5 were obtained on the Li-forms (Li-Rho, 3.4 mmol g-1; Li-ZK-5, 4.7 mmol g-1). H- and US-Rho had relatively low uptakes under these conditions: extra-framework Al species do not interact strongly with CO2. Forms of zeolite Rho in which cations occupy window sites between α-cages show hysteresis in their CO2 isotherms, the magnitude of which (Na+,NH4+ < K+ < Cs+) correlates with the tendency for cations to occupy double eight-membered ring sites rather than single eight-membered ring sites. Hysteresis is not observed for zeolites where cations do not occupy the intercage windows. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction of the CO2 adsorption on Na-Rho at 298 K identifies the adsorption sites. The framework structure of Na-Rho "breathes" as CO2 is adsorbed and desorbed and its desorption kinetics from Na-Rho at 308 K have been quantified by the Zero Length Column chromatographic technique. Na-Rho shows much higher CO2/C2H6 selectivity than Na-ZK-5, as determined by single component adsorption, indicating that whereas CO2 can diffuse readily through windows containing Na+ cations, ethane cannot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpenetrated multicomponent MIL-142(Sc) MOFs were synthesised using the planar tritopic (4,4′,4′′-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tribenzoate, TATB, or 4,4′,4′′-(pyridine-2,4,6-triyl)tribenzoate, PTB) and linear ditopic (1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, BDC, or 2-amino or 2-nitro-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (NH2- or NO2-BDC) linkers. Structure solution of the MIL-142(Sc)-TATB series from single crystal X-ray diffraction in space group R3¯m reveals regioselective ordering of bulky NO2 groups in MIL-142(Sc)-TATB-NO2. Use of 1,3,5-benzenetribenzoate (BTB) favours instead the mesoporous Sc-BTB, the PTB analogue of which forms in the absence of BDC. The materials are highly porous: MIL-142(Sc)-TATB-BDC has a pore volume of 0.70 cm3 g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Membrane separation for gas purification is an energy‐efficient and environment‐friendly technology. However, the development of high performance membranes is still a great challenge. In principle, mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have the potential to overcome current materials limitations, but in practice there is no straightforward method to match the properties of fillers and polymers (the main components of MMMs) in such a way that the final membrane performance reflects the high performance of the microporous filler and the processability of the continuous polymer phase. This issue is especially important when high flux polymers are utilized. In this work, we demonstrate that the use of small amounts of a glassy polymer in combination with high performance PIM‐1 allow for the preparation of metal–organic framework (MOF)‐based MMMs with superior separation properties and low aging rates under humid conditions, meeting the commercial target for post‐combustion CO2 capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To gain insight into the influence of metal–organic framework (MOF) fillers and polymers on membrane performance, eight different composites were studied by combining four MOFs and two polymers. MOF materials (NH2‐MIL‐53(Al), MIL‐69(Al), MIL‐96(Al) and ZIF‐94) with various chemical functionalities, topologies, and dimensionalities of porosity were employed as fillers, and two typical polymers with different permeability‐selectivity properties (6FDA‐DAM and Pebax) were selected as matrices. The best‐performing MOF–polymer composites were prepared by loading 25 wt % of MIL‐96(Al) as filler, which improved the permeability and selectivity of 6FDA‐DAM to 32 and 10 %, while for Pebax they were enhanced to 25 and 18 %, respectively. The observed differences in membrane performance in the separation of CO2 from N2 are explained on the basis of gas solubility, diffusivity properties, and compatibility between the filler and polymer phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key challenge in postcombustion capture from gas-fired power plants is related to the low CO2 concentration in the flue gas (4-8% by volume). This means that conventional amine processes will result in a relatively high energy penalty, whereas novel adsorbents and adsorption processes have the potential to improve the efficiency of separation. High-selectivity adsorbents are required to achieve relatively high CO2 uptake at low partial pressures, which means that the separation process should be based on either very strong physisorption or chemisorption with thermal regeneration. From the process point of view, the main challenge is to develop efficient separation processes with rapid thermal cycles. In this report we present a detailed overview of the methodology behind the development of novel materials and processes as part of the "Adsorption Materials and Processes for Gas-fired power plants" (AMPGas) project. Examples from a wide variety of materials tested are presented, and the design of an innovative bench-scale 12-column rotary wheel adsorber system is discussed. The strategy to design, characterize, and test novel materials (zeolites, amine-containing MOFs, amine-based silicas, amine-based activated carbons, and carbon nanotubes), specifically designed for CO2 capture from dilute streams is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]