Construction of Metal-organic Frameworks with Potential for Hydrogen Gas Storage

Grant Winners

Dean

Abstract

Hydrogen gas represents a potential energy source which becomes more attractive as fossil fuel reserves begin to be used up. One of the problems of using hydrogen as a fuel is that it is difficult to store and transport because, by their very nature, gases occupy a large amount of space compared to their quantity. One way to solve this problem is by the construction of porous materials which contain holes or voids in which molecules of gases such as hydrogen may reside. Metal-organic frameworks, or MOF's, have been shown to be promising candidates for storage of hydrogen or other gases. These frameworks are constructed from molecular building blocks composed of organicmolecules bonded to metal atoms. Bis(arylimino)isoindoline, BAII, molecules are particularly interesting as potential buildings blocks since they offer a great deal of synthetic ease and flexibility. The proposed project involves the syntheses of several new BAII molecules which will be bonded to a variety of metal atoms to form buildings blocks for the construction of metal-organic frameworks. These frameworks will be studied to determine void sizes and shapes within them. Those that contain appropriate voids will be tested for their ability to absorb hydrogen as well as other gases. As more of these systems are produced the correlation of BAII building block to void size and shape to gas absorbing capability will understood. This knowledge will then lead to the rational design and construction of frameworks tailored for specific applications, including hydrogen gas absorption and storage.