Negative gas adsorption transitions and pressure amplification phenomena in porous frameworks

Abstract

adsorption-induced structural contraction leading to total pressure amplification (PA) in a closed system. Such pressure amplifying materials may open new avenues for pneumatic system engineering, robotics, damping, or micromechanical actuators. In this review we illustrate the discovery of NGA in DUT-49, a mesoporous metal-organic framework (MOF), and the subsequent examination of conditions for its observation leading to a rationalization of the phenomenon. We outline the development of decisive experimental and theoretical methods required to establish the mechanism of NGA and derive key criteria for observing NGA in other porous solids. We demonstrate the application of these design principles in a series of DUT-49-related model compounds of which several also exhibit NGA. Furthermore, we provide an outlook towards applying NGA as a pressure amplification material and discuss possibilities to discover novel NGA materials and other counterintuitive adsorption phenomena in porous solids in the future.