Kinetic Stability of MOF-5 in Humid Environments: Impact of Powder Densification, Humidity Level, and Exposure Time

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are an emerging class of microporous, crystalline materials with potential applications in the capture, storage, and separation of gases. Of the many known MOFs, MOF-5 has attracted considerable attention because of its ability to store gaseous fuels at low pressure with high densities. Nevertheless, MOF-5 and several other MOFs exhibit limited stability upon exposure to reactive species such as water. The present study quantifies the impact of humid air exposure on the properties of MOF-5 as a function of exposure time, humidity level, and morphology (i.e., powders vs pellets). Properties examined include hydrogen storage capacity, surface area, and crystallinity. Water adsorption/desorption isotherms are measured using a gravimetric technique; the first uptake exhibits a type V isotherm with a sudden increase in uptake at ∼50% relative humidity. For humidity levels below this threshold only minor degradation is observed for exposure times up to several hours, suggesting that MOF-5 is more stable than generally assumed under moderately humid conditions. In contrast, irreversible degradation occurs in a matter of minutes for exposures above the 50% threshold. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicates that molecular and/or dissociated water is inserted into the skeletal framework after long exposure times. Densification into pellets can slow the degradation of MOF-5 significantly, and may present a pathway to enhance the stability of some MOFs.