Applications

The uniform porosity of the MOF, as large as that of an atom, allows efficient absorption of the molecules within them. This explains the part of the work on gases that SIAD is involved in, applied to methane, carbon monoxide, krypton and nitrogen oxide. At 50 bar, today SIAD is able to store, in a cylinder, triple the amount of methane that there would be if there were no MOF. Filling more gas, without increasing the pressure, is an achievement that opens new scenarios for companies, with a significant reduction of energy consumption, greater security, and a consequent reduction in transport and supply costs.
MOF, just like sponges or micro-cylinders, can therefore absorb and internally compress a high number of gas molecules, thanks to their large surface area and homogeneous porosity. Other fields of application, on which the international research is focusing with good results, apply not only to the purification of gases, the use of gas masks and the elimination of micro-impurities of precious gases, but also the catalysis (monoesterification of fatty acids), which will find application in cosmetics and lubricant-production industries.
Through this integrated research, further areas of application have opened up in pharmaceutical preparations such as capsules, to concentrate extended-release medical gases towards target organs. This is undoubtedly the most interesting effect of this scientific research, which has opened additional worlds of application and can substantially improve all of our lives.