H-Bonded and Metal Organic Frameworks

该研究计划通过了解金属离子和分子如何组装的基础科学，以新的功能材料为目标。目标材料将是多孔的，一个核心的研究挑战将是使网络中的孔稳定和正确的大小、形状和尺寸。我们已经开发了一种新的两步法来制造这种材料，这种材料既需要强相互作用，又能制造有序结构。基于较弱氢键的新型多孔固体将被用来使固体在适当的客体分子存在时能够显示出门控行为，从而产生非常选择性的吸附剂。第二类高度坚固的材料也将以专门设计的连接物为目标，形成3-D开孔。这两个家族将通过竞争性实验进行研究，以具有挑战性的工业相关分离，如乙烯/乙炔和二甲苯异构体。第二个目标应用是使用这种材料来生成更好的质子导电材料。这是我们团队开创的一个领域，我们的定位是用上述平台制造卓越的材料。有序且酸稳定的支架将在质子电导率水平（bbb50 × 10-1 cm-1）和工作温度范围（150-200℃）方面提供潜在的突破。下一步的研究将是控制这些系统中的颗粒大小和形态，以了解界面在传导中的作用，并使它们更适合膜结合。我们还将探索这些类化合物的吸附和感应化学试剂通过模板孔在固体与无害的结构模拟剂。对于这个项目，知识将从分子设计和粒度控制的其他子主题转移，因为有前途的吸附剂材料将需要被纳入复合形式使用。

This research programme targets new functional materials by understanding the basic science of how metal ions and molecules assemble. The target materials will be porous and a core research challenge will be to make the holes in the networks stable and the right size, shape and dimensionality. We have developed a new two step method to make such materials that reconciles the need for strong interactions with the ability to make an ordered structure. New porous solids based on weaker H-bonds will be employed to make solids capable of showing gating behaviour in the presence of appropriate guest molecules leading to very selective sorbents. A second class of highly robust materials will also be targeted with linkers designed specifically to form 3-D open pores. Both of these families will be studied through competitive experiments for challenging separations of industrial relevance such as ethylene/acetylene and xylene isomers. A second target application is the use of such materials for generation of better proton conducting materials. This is a field that our group has pioneered and we are positioned to make exceptional materials with the platforms described above. The ordered and acid stable scaffoldings will offer potential breakthroughs both in levels of proton conductivity (>5x10-1 Scm-1) and operating temperature range (150-200 degC). A further stage of research will be to control the particle size and morphology in these systems to understand the role of interfaces in conduction and to make them more amenable to membrane incorporation. We will also explore these classes of compounds for sorption and sensing of chemical agents by templating the pores in the solids with non-hazardous structural mimics of the agents. For this project, knowledge will transfer from other subthemes both in molecular design and particle size control as promising sorbent materials will need to be incorporated into a composite form for use. The program is in the realm of basic science but it is "application-directed" by taking higher risk approaches to meaningful targets than would likely be possible in other sectors. The skills gained on such a project are fully transferable and the students are instilled with a greater sense of discovery and risk tolerance.