Porous Solids Against Climate Change: Exploring CO2 Adsorption in Cobalt Metal Organic Frameworks

Greenhouse gases are on the rise and climate change is a more pressing problem than ever. It is therefore imperative that a solution before. One such strategy is to capture CO2 (and other greenhouse gases) right from the source, before they can even be released into the atmosphere. In recent years, a class of porous solids termed "Metal Organic Frameworks" (MOFs) have risen to the forefront in the fight against climate change. MOFs are hybrid materials feature metal ions linked by organic linkers to form three dimensional frameworks with varying pore sizes and functionalities, depending on the linkers and metals used. Many metal organic frameworks have found applications in gas separation, storage, catalysis, and more. These porous solids have shown excellent capabilities in CO2 storage and capture, one such framework is termed "UTSA-16"Herein this video describes a novel synthesis of "UTSA-16" using methanol and water (50:50) instead of ethanol and water as well as less overall solvent. Furthermore, the impact of X-ray fluorescence on the powder X-ray diffraction patterns of cobalt materials is made apparent. CO2 adsorption capacities are studied and future plans for 17O Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy are outlined.