Metal-Organic Frameworks for Energy and Environmental Applications

About the project

About the Project The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). There is a remarkable journey of these synthetic materials from theoretical conception toward real-world applications. We target the design and synthesis of new porous materials, primarily MOFs and zeolites, showing exceptional stability and functions tailored for energy storage, clean-air technology, carbon capture, and sustainable catalysis. Our primary interest is to investigate the structure and dynamics information underpinning their materials function and catalytic activity using state-of-the-art neutron scattering, and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, combined with modelling. We have a strong track record in the design, construction and study of new MOF materials for capture of flue and toxic gases (e.g., CO 2 , SO 2 , and NO x ) (Nature Materials 2012, 11, 710; Nature Materials 2018, 17, 691; Nature Chemistry 2019, 11, 1085; Nature Materials 2019, 18, 1358), separation of valuable hydrocarbons (e.g, alkane/alkene/alkyne, xylenes) (Nature Chemistry 2012, 4, 887; Nature Chemistry 2015, 7, 121; Science 2020, 368, 1002; Nature Materials 2024, 23, 1531) and for the storage of fuel gases (e.g., H 2 , CH 4 ) (Nature Chemistry 2009, 1, 487), as well as for their catalytic conversions (Nature Materials 2020, 19, 86; Nature Materials 2022, 21, 932; Nature Chemistry 2024, 16, 871; Nature Chemical Engineering, 2025, 2, 650). This research is of fundamental importance in the development of the “Clean Air”, “Low-Carbon Economy” and “Sustainable Energy and Environment”, and has significant impact in both industry and academia. Two fully funded PhD projects are available to develop new porous solids for the capture and conversion of toxic gases, the separation of valuable hydrocarbons and sustainable catalysis. A number of new porous MOFs and zeolites with excellent gas adsorption and catalysis properties have been recently designed and developed in our group. We will build on this success and develop new porous MOFs and zeolites with improved properties of gas adsorption and separation as well as catalysis. In particular, this project will aim to determine what happens to the gas/substrate molecules inside these porous materials, and find out how and where the molecules interact with the walls of the cavities by using synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering analysis at National Facilities. Such knowledge will allow the design and discovery of the next generations of porous materials which will provide enhanced capture and storage properties. Contact: sihai.yang@pku.edu.cn jiangnan.li@pku.edu.cn https://www.chem.pku.edu.cn/sihaiyang/

Research areas