From Melts to Functional Frameworks

许多有用的化合物是由溶液中的反应生成的。然而，这样的条件限制了可以产生的化合物的类型，因为溶剂强烈地控制了所形成的化合物的性质。这项研究的最初目的将是在加热产生的液体熔体中产生新的化合物，在类似于家用烤箱的温度下，一些非常简单的无机化合物，如硼酸或草酸。在这种条件下形成的化合物通常具有所谓的框架结构，其中嵌入有孔或孔。这种结构家族的成员有许多重要的应用，如吸收和储存气体，离子交换（用于软水器/过滤器和废物处理）和作为可充电电池的组件。因此，这项工作的总体目标将是生产和表征这种类型的全新结构-希望在这些重要应用中具有更好的性能。

Many useful compounds are made by reactions in solutions. However such conditions limit the type of compound that can be produced as the solvent strongly controls the nature of the compounds that are formed. The initial aim of this reserach will be to produce new compounds in liquid melts produced by heating, at temperatures similar tyo those in dosmetic ovens, some very simple inorganic compounds such as boric acid or oxalic acid. Compounds formed under such conditions often have so-called framework structures which have holes or pores embedded in them. Members of this structural family have a number of important applications such as absorbing and storing gases, ion exchange (as used in water softeners/filters and in waste treatment) and as components in rechargeable batteries. The overall aim of this work will thus be to produce and characterise radically new structures of this type - hopefully with much improved properties for these important applications.