A pulse chromatographic study of the adsorption properties of the amino-MIL-53 (Al) metal-organic framework.

Low-coverage adsorption properties of the metal-organic framework amino-MIL-53 (Al) were determined using the pulse chromatographic technique. By using n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, 1-alkenes, cyclohexane and benzene as probe molecules, the nature of the adsorptive interactions in amino-MIL-53 (Al) was studied. Henry adsorption constants and adsorption enthalpies of iso-alkanes are significantly lower than those of the linear alkanes, demonstrating the shape selective properties of amino-MIL-53. The presence of amino-groups in the pores of the material increases the electrostatic contributions with molecules containing double bonds. A simple model relates adsorption enthalpies to the number of hydrogen atoms and double bonds in the molecule. The effective pore size of the material was estimated based on the relationship between adsorption enthalpy and entropy.