High Working Capacity Acetylene Storage at Ambient Temperature Enabled by a Switching Adsorbent Layered Material

Unlike most gases, acetylene storage is a challenge because of its inherent pressure sensitivity. Herein, a square lattice (sql) coordination network [Cu(4,4'-bipyridine)(2)(BF4)(2)](n) (sql-1-Cu-BF4) is investigated with respect to its C2H2 sorption behavior from 189 to 298 K. The C2H2 sorption studies revealed that sql-1-Cu-BF4 exhibits multistep isotherms that are temperature-dependent and consistent with the transformation from closed (nonporous) to four open (porous) phases induced by the C2H2 uptake. The Clausius-Clapeyron equation was used to calculate the performance of sql-1-Cu-BF4 for C2H2 storage at pressures >1 bar, which revealed that its volumetric working capacity at 288 K is slightly superior to acetone (174 vs 170 cm(3) cm(-3)) over a safer pressure range (1-3.5 vs 1-15 bar). Molecular simulations provided insights into the observed switching phenomena, revealing that the layer expansion of sql-1-Cu-BF4 occurs via intercalation and inclusion of C2H2. These results indicate that switching adsorbent layered materials offer promise for utility in the context of C2H2 storage and delivery.

Automated summary

The study explores the C2H2 sorption behavior of a square lattice coordination network and reveals temperature-dependent multistep isotherms. Results show that the material exhibits promising performance for C2H2 storage with high volumetric working capacity and a safe pressure range.