Fine-Tuning a Robust Metal-Organic Framework toward Enhanced Clean Energy Gas Storage

The development of adsorbents with molecular precision offers a promising strategy to enhance storage of hydrogen and methane-considered the fuel of the future and a transitional fuel, respectively-and to realize a carbon-neutral energy cycle. Herein we employ a postsynthetic modification strategy on a robust metal-organic framework (MOF), MFU-4l, to boost its storage capacity toward these clean energy gases. MFU-4l-Li displays one of the best volumetric deliverable hydrogen capacities of 50.2 g L-1 under combined temperature and pressure swing conditions (77 K/100 bar -> 160 K/5 bar) while maintaining a moderately high gravimetric capacity of 9.4 wt %. Moreover, MFU-4l-Li demonstrates impressive methane storage performance with a 5-100 bar usable capacity of 251 cm(3) (STP) cm(-3) (0.38 g g(-1)) and 220 cm(3) (STP) cm(-3) (0.30 g g(-1)) at 270 and 296 K, respectively. Notably, these hydrogen and methane storage capacities are significantly improved compared to those of its isoreticular analogue, MFU-4l, and place MFU-4l-Li among the best MOF-based materials for this application.

Automated summary

The development of adsorbents with molecular precision is a promising strategy for enhancing the storage of hydrogen and methane, both considered key clean energy gases. In this study, a postsynthetic modification strategy on the robust metal-organic framework MFU-4l significantly improved its storage capacity for these gases, placing MFU-4l-Li among the best materials for this application.