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Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been examined extensively for CO2 capture, and the influence of water co-adsorption on these processes is particularly relevant, as CO2 capture generally occurs in humid gas streams. To investi-gate CO2/H2O co-adsorption, binary adsorption isotherms of CO2 and H2O were measured on MOF-808-TFA (TFA = trifluoro-acetic acid). When water was pre-adsorbed on MOF-808-TFA, and a subsequent CO2 adsorption isotherm was measured, the CO2 adsorption was slightly reduced, as expected. However, when CO2 was adsorbed first and then an H2O adsorption iso-therm was measured, no significant H2O adsorption capacity was observed. The near complete loss of water adsorption ca-pacity was observed even when only a trace amount of CO2 was pre-adsorbed. The results show that unexpected, non-state function adsorption equilibria can result from dynamic MOF behaviors and defect sites, which may lead to counterintuitive adsorption data compared to traditional materials.
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This content will become publicly available on July 8, 2026
Water-enhanced CO2 capture in metal–organic frameworks
CO2capture from post-combustion flue gas originating from coal or natural gas power plants, or even from the ambient atmosphere, is a promising strategy to reduce the atmospheric CO2concentration and achieve global decarbonization goals. However, the co-existence of water vapor in these sources presents a significant challenge, as water often competes with CO2for adsorption sites, thereby diminishing the performance of adsorbent materials. Selectively capturing CO2in the presence of moisture is a key goal, as there is a growing demand for materials capable of selectively adsorbing CO2under humid conditions. Among these, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of porous, highly tunable materials, have attracted extensive interest for gas capture, storage, and separation applications. The numerous combinations of secondary building units and organic linkers offer abundant opportunities for designing systems with enhanced CO2selectivity. Interestingly, some recent studies have demonstrated that interactions between water and CO2within the confined pore space of MOFs can enhance CO2uptake, flipping the traditionally detrimental role of moisture into a beneficial one. These findings introduce a new paradigm: water-enhanced CO2capture in MOFs. In this review, we summarize these recent discoveries, highlighting examples of MOFs that exhibit enhanced CO2adsorption under humid conditions compared to dry conditions. We discuss the underlying mechanisms, design strategies, and structural features that enable this behavior. Finally, we offer a brief perspective on future directions for MOF development in the context of water-enhanced CO2capture.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2119433
- PAR ID:
- 10648031
- Publisher / Repository:
- Frontiers Media SA
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Frontiers in Chemistry
- Volume:
- 13
- ISSN:
- 2296-2646
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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