Recently, Professor Xu Zhi from the School of Chemical Engineering, ECUST put forward a strategy of enhancing CO2/N2 screening by rotating molecular electrostatic anchoring ligand. The researchers used electrostatic molecules to anchor the rotation of ligands in ZIF-8, and constructed a gas molecule transmission channel with uniform rigidity, thus realizing the accurate screening of CO2 and N2 molecules. The related research article was published in German Applied Chemistry with the title of “Efficient separation of CO2/N2 by the rotation of electrostatically anchored flexible ligands in metal-organic framework”.

The article is first authored by doctoral candidate Qu Kai from the School of Chemical Engineering, ECUST, and distinguished professor Huang Kang of Nanjing University of Technology. It is corresponding authored by Professor Xu Zhi from the School of Chemical Engineering, ECUST. The research work was strongly supported by Professor Guo Xuhong and Lian Cheng, a specially appointed researcher in ECUST, and was supported by the national key R&D program and the Natural Science Fund.