Enhancing Membrane Materials for Efficient Li Recycling and Recovery.

Rapid uptake of lithium-centric technology, e.g., electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage, is increasing the demand for efficient technologies for lithium extraction from aqueous sources.

Porous Molecular Crystals Derived from Cofacial Porphyrin/Phthalocyanine Heterodimers.

Porphyrin-based porous materials are of growing interest as heterogeneous catalysts especially for reactions that are of importance to sustainability. Here we demonstrate that porous molecular crystals can be prepared by the simple co-crystallisation of tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) with octa(2',6'-di-iso-propylphenoxy)phthalocyanine or some of its metal complexes [(dipPhO)PcM; M=H, Al-OH, Ti=O, Mn-Cl, Fe-Cl, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga-Cl, Ag, In-Cl or Au-Cl]. This process is facilitated by the efficient formation of the supramolecular heterodimer between TPP and (dipPhO)PcM, which is driven by the complementary shape and symmetry of the two macrocycles.

Selective ion transport through hydrated micropores in polymer membranes.

Ion-conducting polymer membranes are essential in many separation processes and electrochemical devices, including electrodialysis, redox flow batteries, fuel cells and electrolysers. Controlling ion transport and selectivity in these membranes largely hinges on the manipulation of pore size. Although membrane pore structures can be designed in the dry state, they are redefined upon hydration owing to swelling in electrolyte solutions.

Ligand effects on gas adsorption in nanoporous phthalocyanine crystals.

X-ray diffraction is used to study the sorption of CO and NO in two phthalocyanine nanoporous crystals (PNCs) with 4,4' bipyridine or 4,4' bipyrimidine coordinated to open Co sites, demonstrating how the coordinated ligands influence the gas sorption properties and structures of the PNCs.