Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

<p>The present proposal is for a gas-adsorption analyzer for the study of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). &nbsp;MOFs are a class of porous materials. Just like a sponge has pores which we can use to soak up soap and water to clean our dishes, a MOF has pores that can be used to store molecules (e.g., soap and water) for various applications (e.g., clean our dishes). &nbsp;Unlike our sponges at home, MOFs can be used for gas-storage, catalysis, chemical threat protection, and many other applications. &nbsp;A gas-adsorption analyzer is used to study the pores within a MOF. &nbsp;The proposed instrument will be able to tell us how much internal surface area the MOF has, how big and how many different kinds of pores the MOF has, and how ""sticky"" gas molecules are to the wall of the pore. With this information, we can relate how the pores of the MOF affect the physical properties we are interested in. &nbsp;In other words, the equipment being requested allows us to make sponges that are very good at specific applications. &nbsp;Our research team is focusing on studying the stability of MOFs in order to understand how they will fit in industrial applications, the synthesis of MOFs in benign solutions, the use of MOFs toward removal of toxic chemicals such as SO₂, and many other applications. &nbsp;With the proposed equipment, we will be able to challenge ourselves to make new MOFs (i.e., sponges) for applications in sustainable and green chemistry. &nbsp;This equipment is crucial in order to achieve a healthy research program on porous materials. &nbsp;Such a research program will benefit the Canadian economy by producing highly qualified personal trained in the synthesis and characterization of porous materials while also producing new porous materials which can be utilized for applications in environmental remediation.</p>