Ultrahigh‐Uptake Capacity‐Enabled Gas Separation and Fruit Preservation by a New Single‐Walled Nickel–Organic Framework

Abstract

Abstract High gas‐uptake capacity is desirable for many reasons such as gas storage and sequestration. Moreover, ultrahigh capacity can enable a practical separation process by mitigating the selectivity factor that sometimes compromises separation efficiency. Herein, a single‐walled nickel–organic framework with an exceptionally high gas capture capability is reported. For example, C2H4 and C2H6 uptake capacities are at record‐setting levels of 224 and 289 cm3 g−1 at 273 K and 1 bar (169 and 110 cm3 g−1 at 298 K and 1 bar), respectively. Such ultrahigh capacities for both gases give rise to an excellent separation performance, as shown for C2H6/C2H4 with breakthrough times of 100, 60 and 30 min at 273, 283 and 298 K and under 1 atm. This new material is also shown to readily remove ethylene released from fruits, and once again, its ultrahigh capacity plays a key role in the extraordinary length of time achieved in the preservation of the fruit freshness.

Keywords

• food preservation
• high gas capture capacity
• MOF synthesis
• MOF structure
• nickel metal–organic frameworks