New materials for storing flammable industrial gases

Structure of the Metal-Organic Framework MOF-508, composed of carbon ( black ), nitrogen ( blue ), oxygen ( red ) and zinc ( green ). The flexibility and catenated nature of this framework are key parameters for the storage of acetylene. François-Xavier Coudert/CNRS - How do I store more, and better? This summarizes the challenge of transporting flammable gases. To ensure industrial safety, these gases must be handled at defined temperature and pressure conditions that do not allow for optimal storage and release cycles. Existing porous materials can facilitate the capture of certain gases, but their high affinity for these molecules complicates their release: a large amount of gas then remains trapped in the host material. Scientists have just shown that new patented materials 1 could provide a solution, by demonstrating their ability to capture and release acetylene. For a given volume, they can store and release 90 times more acetylene.