Trapping Guests within a Nanoporous Metal–Organic Framework through Pressure-Induced Amorphization

The release of guest species from within a nanoporous metal–organic framework (MOF) has been inhibited by amorphization of the guest-loaded framework structure under applied pressure. Thermogravimetric analyses have shown that by amorphizing ZIF-8 following sorption of molecular I2, a hazardous radiological byproduct of nuclear energy production, the pore apertures in the framework are sufficiently distorted to kinetically trap I2 and improve I2 retention. Pair distribution function (PDF) analysis indicates that the local structure of the captive I2 remains essentially unchanged upon amorphization of the framework, with the amorphization occurring under the same conditions for the vacant and guest-loaded framework. The low, accessible pressure range needed to effect this change in desorption is much lower than in tradition sorbents such as zeolites, opening the possibility for new molecular capture, interim storage, or controlled release applications.