Separation of Hydrogen Using a Size-Changeable Nanochannel

On the basis of a carbon nanotube intramolecular junction and a C-60, a molecular sieve for H-2 is proposed. The small interspace formed between C-60 and the junction provides a size changeable nanochannel for the permselectivity of H-2 while blocking Ne and Ar. The sieving mechanism is discussed in terms of soft repulsion of H-2 and the size of the nanochannel.