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Title: Microscopic Theory of Hysteretic Hydrogen Adsorption in Nanoporous Materials

Journal Article · · Journal of the American Chemical Society
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja9092133· OSTI ID:1036373

Understanding gas adsorption confined in nanoscale pores is a fundamental issue with broad applications in catalysis and gas storage. Recently, hysteretic H{sub 2} adsorption was observed in several nanoporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Here, using first-principles calculations and simulated adsorption/desorption isotherms, we present a microscopic theory of the enhanced adsorption hysteresis of H{sub 2} molecules using the MOF Co(1,4-benzenedipyrazolate) [Co(BDP)] as a model system. Using activated H{sub 2} diffusion along the small-pore channels as a dominant equilibration process, we demonstrate that the system shows hysteretic H{sub 2} adsorption under changes of external pressure. For a small increase of temperature, the pressure width of the hysteresis, as well as the adsorption/desorption pressure, dramatically increases. The sensitivity of gas adsorption to temperature changes is explained by the simple thermodynamics of the gas reservoir. Detailed analysis of transient adsorption dynamics reveals that the hysteretic H{sub 2} adsorption is an intrinsic adsorption characteristic in the diffusion-controlled small-pore systems.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science/BES; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1036373
Journal Information:
Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 132, Issue 5; ISSN 0002-7863
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English