I-Corps: Porous Metal-Organic Framework Materials for Industrial Gas Storage and Separation

气体是大量化工生产的重要原料，也是工业企业和日常生活的常规能源。由于其独特的状态，在日常使用中需要特殊的处理和运输。通常在高压下的气瓶对于气体储存是必不可少的。虽然气体在高压下被压缩到气瓶中，但是通过这种传统方法的气体储存容量通常不高。此外，高压也可能存在一些安全问题。具有更高气体储存能力的材料不仅可以增加固定气瓶空间内的气体储存量，还可以降低气体储存的储存压力，从而提高安全性。该项目探索了多孔金属有机框架（MOF）材料用于工业气体储存和分离的市场潜力，特别是甲烷和乙炔储存以及乙炔/乙烯分离。通过为未来的车辆实施高容量天然气和乙炔储存的新材料，多孔MOF材料是一种很有前途的吸附剂，可以填充到气瓶中，大大提高储气能力能力。多孔MOF内的可调孔和功能位点也使得这些多孔材料对于气体分离非常有用。 该团队将在为期7周的I-Corps计划中进行客户发现，以评估工业客户在气体储存和分离方面的真实的需求以及目标市场规模。在完成I-Corps课程后，该团队将决定是否建立一家初创公司，并通过SBIR和/或STTR资金继续其商业化努力。

Gases are important raw materials for a large number of chemical transformations/productions, and are used as routine energy resources for both industrial enterprise and our diary life. Because of their unique state, special handling and transportation are necessary for their routine usage. Gas cylinders, typically under high pressures, are essential for gas storage. Although the gases are compressed under high pressure into the gas cylinders, the gas storage capacity by such traditional methods are typically not high. Furthermore, the high pressure might also have some safety concerns. Materials with higher gas storage capabilities can not only increase the gas storage amount within fixed cylinder spaces, but also reduce the storage pressure for gas storage and, thus, improve safety concerns. This project explores the market potential of porous metal-organic framework (MOF) materials for industrial gas storage and separation, particularly methane and acetylene storage, and separation of acetylene/ethylene. Through the implementation of new materials for the high capacity storage of natural gas and acetylene for the future vehicles, it reduces the United States' heavy dependence on the gasoline energy resource and diminishes the environmental side effect of carbon dioxide emission from the combustion of high carbon hydrocarbons.Porous MOF materials are very promising adsorbents which can be filled into gas cylinders to significantly enhance the gas storage capacities. The tunable pores and functional sites within porous MOFs have also enabled these porous materials to be very useful for gas separations. This team will conduct customer discovery during the 7-week I-Corps program to assess the industrial customers' real needs in terms of gas storage and separation, and the target market size. Following completion of the I-Corps curriculum, the team will decide whether or not to establish a start-up company and to continue its commercialization efforts through SBIR and/or STTR funding.