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2 March 2017MOFs found to filter air pollutants by 99%
By Qiu Tian | Feb 10, 2017
A research team from the Beijing Institute of Technology recently found Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) can be applied to filtering air pollutants and clean up air effectively, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Molecular structure of MOFs, by Victor Borovkov
The study published in Nature journal pointed out that the MOFs can filter up to 99.5% of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in lab tests. Little loss of efficiency only appears at 200 ℃.
PM 2.5 and PM 10 are small particles less than 2.5 and 10 micrometers in diameter respectively. Their width is less than that of a single human hair, which makes them easily get into people’s lungs, potentially causing serious health problems.
MOFs are compounds consisting of metal ions linked to organic molecules. Its application can achieve a large amount of fine particles capture through electrostatic adsorption.
Under the irradiation of visible light, MOFs can realize sunlight catalysis, decomposing harmful organic matter into carbon dioxide and water, which makes the filtration efficiency sustained, long-lasting and without secondary pollution.
According to Xinhua, the research team has synthesized three kinds of crystalline compounds of MOFs, and adhered them to the surfaces of textile, foam, plastic materials, steel mesh and other different substrates, to achieve double-sided hot rolling process.
It is reported that the team will further promote the next step in technology transformation and industrialization, applying MOFs to the treatment of industrial waste gas, air purifier and other fields.