Title: Metal Organic Frameworks: Ultrahigh Surface Area Nanoporous Materials for Detection and Separations

Speaker: Mark D. Allendorf

Date/Time: Wednesday, July 5, 2006, 3:00 – 4:00 pm (MDT)

Location: 915/S101 Sandia/CA videoconferenced to Bldg. 980/95 Sandia/NM

Brief Abstract: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are the latest and most flexible addition to the world of nanoporous materials. They exhibit exceptionally high void volumes, surface areas exceeding zeolites (as high as 6,000 m2/g) and can be chemically tailored for systematic variation of functionality and pore size. Most work to date has focused on their gas sorption capabilities (particularly for hydrogen storage) and their unusual structural properties. However, the unique characteristics of these materials suggest exciting potential for applications such as chem/bio detection, separations, and catalysis. These applications will be realized only after their chemical and physical behavior properties is much better understood and can be altered by the incorporation of guest molecules. In addition, it is necessary to develop methods of growing them on practical substrate materials that enable MOFs to be incorporated into device structures or membranes. In this presentation, an overview of MOFs and their properties will be presented, which we are exploring as part of a newly funded LDRD project. Three aspects of this project will be discussed: 1) synthesis of the new MOF compounds and single-crystal photoluminescence spectra; 2) molecular dynamics simulations of water reactivity and hydrocarbon diffusion; and 3) growth of thin-film MOFs on functionalized gold surfaces and anodized aluminum oxide.

CSRI POC: Michael Parks, (505)845-0512